Course Description

This course aims to familiarise students with the history of Hinduism over a long historical period. It covers a chronological span of more than four thousand years and begins by asking a series of foundational questions: Were the people of Harappa, Hindu? Can the Vedas be considered the ur-texts of Hinduism? How similar to, or different from, Vedic religion was the later Puranic religion? Did the Śramaṇa traditions (Buddhism, Jainism, and Ājīvikas) play a role in shaping and reshaping Hinduism in subsequent periods?

This course constitutes the first part of a longue durée history of Hinduism and concludes with the emergence of Puranic religion and the formation of temple institutions. A second part of the course could extend this inquiry from Puranic religion and Bhakti traditions to modern debates on Hinduism; however, these themes fall beyond the scope of the present course.

The readings are designed to introduce students to the various ways in which histories of religions are written. Students will engage with different methodological approaches and learn how to apply these insights to other academic contexts. Special emphasis is placed on the social processes associated with the development and transformation of religious traditions.

The lectures will be discussion-based, and students are expected to complete the assigned readings before class. The modules are organised both chronologically and thematically.