The Social Realms of Religion

In the academic study of Indian religions, a common approach has been to perceive them as abstruse philosophies devoid of social linkages. This may not be a valid approach as many Indian religions, amidst a complex myriad of functions, also functioned as essential elements of the organization of the socio-economic order of the society in which they functioned and established complex linkages with social institutions and processes. That also entailed the evolution of complex patterns of interactions between different religions. This book explores some aspects of these complexities. Research articles in the present book explore three themes: the patterns of interactions between different ancient and early medieval Indian religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, jvika-dharma) and their relationships with socio-economic institutions and processes from circa sixth century bce to early thirteenth century ce; perceptions of Islam and Muslims in the Indic sources and the process of religious identity formation in medieval north India; and, finally, the Natha Sampradaya in its interactions with social institutions and processes in Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, and Maharashtra from the colonial to the contemporary periods.