Why I Am a Hindu

Why I Am a Hindu is a 2018 book by Indian politician Shashi Tharoor.[1] In the book, Tharoor writes about the history of Hinduism and its core tenets,[2] as well as socio-cultural developments in India that relate to the religion, while elucidating his own religious convictions.

Why I Am a Hindu
AuthorShashi Tharoor
CountryIndia
LanguageEnglish
SubjectHinduism
GenreNonfiction
PublisherAleph Book Company
Publication date
19 January 2018
Media typePrint (hardcover)
Pages320
ISBN978-9386021106
Preceded byInglorious Empire 
Followed byThe Paradoxical Prime Minister 

Tharoor intended the book to be a repudiation of Hindu nationalism, and its rise in Indian society, which relied upon an interpretation of the religion which was markedly different from the one with which he had grown up, and was familiar with. In seeking to address this concern, he wanted to position the debate as one within the Hindu faith, and therefore wrote about his own personal identification with the religion.[3]

The book is segmented into three parts. In the first part, Tharoor offers a brief history of Hinduism, and the development of his own personal faith. In the second part, he traces the rise of modern Hindu nationalism in the form of the Hindutva movement. The third part Tharoor explores the deplorable aspects of Hindutva politics trying to reclaim Hinduism for the liberals.[4][5]

Tharoor’s 2019 book The Hindu Way - An Introduction To Hinduism is a follow-up to the Why I Am a Hindu.[6]

Reception

Kancha Ilaiah writing for The Caravan, wrote a critical book review in which he questioned the theories put forth by Tharoor for praising Hinduism while being unaware of his own caste.[7] MK Raghavendra of Firstpost wrote that “books such as Shashi Tharoor’s 'Why I am a Hindu' simply take sides in the Left vs Right unproductive struggle, without adding much of intellectual value to the socio-political issues confronting India today.”[4]

Raheel Shakeel reviewed the book for Newsline, calling it “timely” which “comes at a time when India is at a crossroads”. He further wrote that “the book simplifies the many strands of Hindu thought for a general audience, and outlines the threat posed to it by the enemy within.”[8] Urmi Chanda-Vaz of Scroll called the book “a timely reminder of why Hinduism must retain its pluralism”. She further wrote that “Why I Am A Hindu is as balanced a book on religion as one can hope to write in these tumultuous times.” However she criticised the last section of the book titled “Taking Back Hinduism” to have been written in a hurry.[9]

References
  1. Chanda-Vaz, Urmi (18 February 2018). "Shashi Tharoor's 'Why I Am A Hindu' is a timely reminder of why Hinduism must retain its pluralism". Scroll.in. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  2. Tharoor, Shashi (18 January 2019). "How Hinduism Has Persisted for 4,000 Years". Wall Street Journal.
  3. Daniyal, Shoaib (11 February 2018). "I want to resist the hijacking of Hinduism by Hindutva: The Shashi Tharoor interview". Scroll.in. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  4. "Why I Am A Hindu: Shashi Tharoor's sentiments are those of a liberal trying to reclaim the religion from the fringe". Firstpost. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  5. Chandhoke, Neera (17 February 2018). "Why I Am A Hindu review: The power of politics as religion". The Hindu. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  6. "Hindutva is an assault on Hinduism: Shashi Tharoor". The Economic Times. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  7. Shepherd, Kancha Ilaiah. "Why is Shashi Tharoor a Hindu?". The Caravan. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  8. "Book Review: Why I Am a Hindu". Newsline. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  9. Chanda-Vaz, Urmi. "Shashi Tharoor's 'Why I Am A Hindu' is a timely reminder of why Hinduism must retain its pluralism". Scroll.in. Retrieved 25 October 2021.


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