A Review of ‘Introducing Hinduism' by Vinay Lal (2005), Totem Books, USA.

By Vishal Agarwal

The book under review combines cartoons with text - an attractive and light-hearted style for introducing Hinduism to beginners. Unfortunately, the author succeeds in perpetuating negative stereotypes about the third largest religion of the world, and presents a non-insightful and a biased view of the faith.  In the past, Lal has written apologias for Palestinian suicide bombers and for the Taliban when they destroyed the Bamiyan Buddhas. He has also apparently suggested that the United States brought 9/11 terror attacks upon itself. He has penned reams of intolerant rant against the USA, Israel, India in several radical left websites and publications. In the book's acknowledgments section, he dedicates the book to Professor I K Shukla, whom Lal himself describes as a ‘committed Marxist'.This background about Lal is important for understanding the subtle and not-so-subtle biases against Hinduism that the present reviewer found in the book.

In her recent work "The Hindus: An Alternative History", Wendy Doniger - whose view of Hindu traditions is often of a paparazzi variety, terms Lal's book as ‘delightful'. My review below of Lal's book will perhaps enlighten the reader about the cause of Doniger's delight.

In the approximately 170 page long book, Vinay Lal devotes 3 pages to illustrate Lord Krishna's ‘cunning' and ‘deceptive' behavior; 10 pages on excoriating Hindu Nationalism in India; 6 pages on Bollywood and Hinduism; 5 pages on untouchability; 6 pages on Sati, Dowry and other ways in which Hinduism has allegedly mistreated women; 4 pages on a rather negative depiction of the Ramayana (in particular on the treatment of Devi Sita). Negative and snide remarks abound in other pages too. Rather than devoting these 34 pages or about 20% of the book to an obsessively negative ‘caste-cow-dowry-Sati' stereotype of Hinduism, he could have used this space to present more meaningful and relevant topics such as

·       contributions of Hinduism to human civilization;

·       the proverbial tolerance of Hindus;

·       Hindu arts, music, sculpture and temple architecture;

·       the spread of Hindu faith and culture to different parts of the world (especially S E Asia) in ancient times;

·       Hindu festivals and pilgrimages (yes, even these are absent in the book!) and Hindu view of other faiths.

·       The doctrines of Rebirth and Reincarnation, Samsara and Karma - which are so vital to understanding Hindu world view, and practically ignored in the book.

Last update : 01-02-2010 21:42

Keywords : Hating Hindus as a Fun Activity, Vishal Aggarwal

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