New Books Network Karen Pechilis ed., "A Cultural History of Hinduism: Volumes 1-6" (Bloomsbury, 2024)
Oct 9, 2025
Karen Pechilis, a scholar of South Asian religions, leads a discussion with Jarrod Whitaker, a Vedic specialist, and Valerie Stoker, an expert in early modern South Asian exchanges. They delve into their six-volume project tracing Hinduism's cultural history from antiquity through the late colonial period. Key topics include the unique themes that frame each volume, the dynamic responses to historical contexts, and the interdisciplinary approach that enriches both teaching and scholarship. Their insights reveal the project's impact on understanding Hindu traditions across time.
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Structural Design Enables Cross-Period Study
- The series frames Hindu traditions across six chronological volumes and eight consistent thematic chapters for cross-period comparison.
- This organization lets readers follow topics across time or get a full picture of a single period efficiently.
Periodization Was Deliberate, Not Fixed
- Periodization choices were collaborative and required debate among editors to fit the cultural-history framework.
- Editors adjusted volume titles and boundaries to better reflect historical nuance, not rigid chronologies.
Antiquity Volume Arrived Early
- Jared completed his antiquity volume unusually early, meeting a 2019 deadline and delivering chapters in good time.
- The rest of the project slowed due to the pandemic and other production challenges.
