ENGL 231, World Literature

from from Encyclopedia of Social and Cultural Anthropology

Hinduism, a spiritual way of life for hundreds of millions of people living in India, is little practiced throughout the rest of the world. In this program, Hans Küng traces the diversity of traditions and convictions making up that venerable religion. (55 min)

6 minute video clip overview

In this program a group of young Hindus define the Bhagavad Gita's Four Paths to God and reflect on which path he or she feels the most affinity with-Bhakti (Devotion), Jnana (Knowledge), Rajah (Contemplation), or Karma (Action). With feedback from experts such as Jay Lakhani, director of the Vivekananda Centre in London, the teens examine the practices and philosophies of the paths, explaining that Hinduism accommodates many ways to worship. (14 min)

From ritual ablutions to ceremonial cremation, the religious life of a Hindu is intimately associated with the spiritual properties of water and fire. This program steps off the beaten path for a journey with two sadhus as they visit holy locales, witness religious rites, and, in general, immerse themselves in Hindu culture as it is exists in the religion’s motherland, India. The Festival of Shivaratri, in Benares, and the Festival of Holi, in Mathura, are featured, along with devotional and secular activities in Allahabad that follow the official conclusion of the Kumbh Mela. Contains nudity associated with Nagas, male warrior ascetics. (52 minutes)

from Blackwell Encyclopedias in Social Sciences: The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Globalization