Contemporary Hinduism: A Quest for Identity

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This book attempts to answer a few questions about Hindus in the contemporary Indian context. The questions this book addresses relate to the identity of Hindus. Who is entitled to define that identity-a political party, a cultural group or the self appointed guardians of its purity? Out of the multiple facets that Hinduism encompasses which one of these is the true face of a real Hindu?

The author believes that the so-called communalism or the fundamentalism among them is a delayed response of a thousand years of unabated onslaught on their rituals and cultural activities? By its nature there is no possibility of the existence or survival of a communal streak in them. What one sees today is the reflection of the bogey created by our "secular politics". The day politics ceases to interfere with social and cultural beliefs and practices of Hindus the so-called Hindu communalism would vanish. By their nature Hinduism and fundamentalism are total strangers. Then why like Sancho Panza attack windmills?

Way back in the early thirties the author was born into a zamindar home in the district of Aligarh. He had his initial education in the village itself but later on went on to join Christ Church College, Kanpur and the University of London for his master's and doctoral degrees. Having retired in 1992 he is busy in studying and writing books in History. One of his recent publication is History of Indian National Congress (1885-1947) in the context of education.

He is currently busy writing a Hindi version of the present book.