In our study of Hinduism, I found the origin of this religious tradition’s title to be fascinating. The phrase “Hinduism,” as discussed in class, is actually a product of colonialism, as a catch-all, umbrella term of sorts implemented by western colonizers in an attempt to simplify and homogenize the variety of local traditions. That being said, I wanted to learn more about the naming of the tradition, in an attempt to further distinguish between terminologies that developed within the tradition itself versus those types of outsider-interpretations. Taking my search to the library’s online catalog and using the “One Search” feature, I entered two key words: “Defining” and “Hinduism.” I was surprised when I found that these two keywords lead me to a title of the same name, Defining Hinduism: A Reader, by J.E. Llewellyn.

After flipping through the book and paying specific attention to the table of contents, it seems that some key themes include the plurality of practices within Hinduism, the influence of the colonial period, and finally the social structure of the caste system. All in all, the work presents the European definition of Hinduism, and then contrasts this construction to the actuality of the religion. All in all, the offerings of this work are about on par with what I had expected to find, particularly the portion about the carelessness of the European colonizers when attempting to define and understand the tradition. Furthermore, the cover of the book contains a familiar image: the unfolded lotus flower, discussed so often in class.

Last, several relevant and interesting titles existed around this novel. For instance, I noticed full versions of both the Ramayana and the Bhagavad Gita in this aisle, along with other works concerning a variety of traditions and issues, ranging from meditative practices to issues of gender indifference.

Llewellyn, J. E. Defining Hinduism: A Reader. New York: Routledge,                2005. Print.