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The phenomenon of Religion and Godmen has become a very compelling topic in current times. While the tradition of clergy and saints has been fairly old the Godmen of present times are a newer addition. Their mass following, their hypnotic appeal and massive wealth is there for all to see. This volume brings together some of the thought provoking essays on the trend of current Godmen in India. The root of the understanding them is ingrained in multiple essays dealing with Religion as a social phenomenon through the ages. Religion’s multiple aspects have been outlined by some of the essays. In some essays the Ram story, the most widely prevalent mythological story in South Asia, has been given a deep treatment. Gita, currently projected as the Hindu scripture has been analyzed, while the syncretic tradition of India, the Bhakti and Sufi traditions have been presented outlining their humane contribution to the society. Essays on Hinduism, Hindutva try to unravel the phenomenon, which are dominating the contemporary Indian scenario.

Contents: Foreword. Introduction. I. Godmen in India: 1. Gurus in India: Historical Perspective/Uday Mehta. 2. Modern Godmen: Sociological Appraisal/Uday Mehta. 3. Ungodly Men, Unholy Activities/K. N. Panikkar. 4. Religion, Politics and God Men/Ram Puniyani. II. Religion in India: 5. Religion, Ideology and Society/Krishna Mohan Shrimali. 6. Critique of Hinduism Approaches to Hinduism/Laxman Shastri Joshi. 7. The Historical Development of the Bhagvad-gita/Damodar Dharmanand Kosambi. 8. Ramayanas/Nagin Das Sanghavi. III. Religion and Politics in Contemporary India: 9. Role of Hinduism in Modern Indian Society/Uday Mehta. 10. Undermining National Institutions to Create Regimented Minds/Irfan Engineer. 11. Hindutva Politics and Democratic Norms/Ram Puniyani. IV. Religion and Liberation Theology: 12. Religion and the Left: An Introduction/Cornel West. 13. Religion, Ideology and Liberation Theology: An Islamic Point of View/Asghar Ali Engineer. 14. Sufism – Its Origin and Impact on Indian Islam/Asghar Ali Engineer. 15. Syncretism – Indian Context A Sociological Appraisal/Uday Mehta. Bibliography. Index.