• Course Description
• Required Books
• Syllabus
• Course Requirements

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This course will explore the diverse religious traditions and practices that we today label as Hinduism. We will examine the major scriptures, doctrines, beliefs, and institutions of these traditions through the historical development of Hinduism's three distinctive phases: Vedic Brahmanism, Upanishadic metaphysics, and Classical theism. The course will also provide an opportunity to explore the issues of religious pluralism, diaspora traditions, and ritual dimensions of modern Hinduism through field trips to the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago and Indian cultural events at the Rosemont Convention Center.

Course Objectives

• To develop a reasonable understanding of Hinduism and the historical development of its various traditions.
• To obtain a first-hand knowledge of Hindu temple culture in North America
• To develop skills of critical analysis and interpretation

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Available for purchase at Norris Book Store.

• Gavin Flood, An Introduction to Hinduism.
• Stephen Huyler, Meeting God.
• Barbara S. Miller, trans. The Bhagavad-Gita.
• In-class handouts.

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Week 1 : What is Hinduism ?

1. Hinduism and definitions .
2. The Structure of Hindu Traditions
3. Hinduism and Other World Religions

6/25 Hinduism and Its Ancient Origins

1. Indus Valley Civilization
2. The Vedic Religion: Scriptures and Gods
3. Rituals, Fire Sacrifice
4. Vedic Brahmanism
5. Path of Action/karma-marga

Week 2: 6/30 Hindu Concepts, Beliefs and Practices

1. Hindu universe, creation and dissolution
2. Cyclical time and Space
3. Hindu concepts: varna, dharma, karma, moksa
4. Hindu social structure
5. Hindu sacraments

7/2 Hindu Metaphysics: Upanishads and Yoga Traditions

1. Shifting Awareness: From Ritualism to Metaphysical Thought
2. Internalization of Ritual
3. Renunciation Traditions and Paths of Yoga
4. Path of Knowledge (jnana-marga)

Week 3: 7/7 Hindu Theism and Devotional Traditions

1. Hindu Classical Period
2. Theistic schools: Vishnu, Shiva, Goddess Durga
3. Personalization of god/goddess
4. Vishnu in Hinduism
5. Vishnu’s Incarnations
6. Rama (Epic Ramayana)
7. Krishna (Bhagavad-gita)
8. Path of Devotion (bhakti-marga)

7/9 Midterm Exam

Week 4: 7/14 Shiva and Goddess Durga

1. Shiva in Hinduism
2. Shiva, the God of Paradox: Ascetic and Married Man
3. Shiva, the Half-Woman Lord (Male and Female aspects)
4. The Lord of Meditation (the Great Yogi)
5. The Lord of Dance (Nataraja)
6. Saiva Traditions: Orthodox and Ascetic

1. Durga in Hinduism
2. All Powerful Independent Goddess (The Great Goddess)
3. Durga’s Other Manifestations: Lakshmi and Kali
4. Durga puja and festivals

7/16 Temple Hinduism

1. Dynamics of Hindu temple
2. Rituals and ritual purity
3. Concepts of devotion and worship
4. Image worship

Week 5: 7/21 Home and Community: Rituals and Festivals

1. Puja worship at home
2. Rituals: birth, initiation, marriage and death
3. Community Deities and Processional festivals

7/23 Hindu Diversity

1. Down to the Earth: Village Traditions and Deities of Healing
2. Sophisticated Six Systems and Vedanta

Week 6: 7/28 Neo-Hinduism and The Hindu Diaspora

1. Hindu Reformists in Post-Mughal Period
2. Gandhi and Indian Independence
3. Hindu Nationalist Movements
4. Global Hinduism

7/30 Final Exam

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Course Evaluation

Course Requirements

• Midterm and Final exams – a combination of a two-page essay, image identifications & descriptions, and definitions/significance of concepts/ideas.
• Group project – Fieldwork and a thoughtful paper, 5 pages.
  A paper based on the fieldwork/research conducted at the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago (temple trip scheduled on 7/16). The HTGC is located at 10915 Lemont Rd , Lemont Road , Lemont , IL 60439 . Tel. 630-972-0300.
• Avoiding plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty

Class Attendance & Participation.

• Class attendance is mandatory. However, you may be absent one class for whatever reason during the course of the quarter. If you are absent for more than this, I will lower your final grade .5 per class. It is your responsibility to make sure signing the class attendance sheet.
• You should read the assignment for the day listed so that you will understand my lectures more coherently but also ask intelligent questions or make thoughtful comments in the class. By virtue of this work ethic there is a great probability for you to increase your intellectual learning about a world religion, and to achieve a grade that you are aiming for this class.
• You should submit one or two interesting questions for class discussion on every Friday (except the first Friday and midterm).
• Completion of the exams and the group project on scheduled dates is important. These dates cannot be rescheduled unless you are seriously ill and have a documented medical excuse.

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