Religion and technology in India : spaces, practices, and authorities

Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
List of illustrations
List of contributors
Introduction
	Overview of the content of the chapters
	Note
	References
1. Vishwakarma: God of technology
	Vishwakarma as all-maker
	Vishwakarma in the work of artisans
	Vishwakarma and industrial technology
	Vishwakarma and the growth of infrastructure
	Conclusions
	Notes
	References
2. Saffron glasses: Indian nationalism and the enchantment of technology
	Politics, technology, and mass media participation
	Rebuilding the present
	Conclusion
	Acknowledgments
	Notes
	References
3. Visualizing Sikh warriors, royalties, and rebels: Photography in colonial Punjab
	Colonial anthropometric photography
	Portrait photography among aristocrats
	Commercial photography
	Amateur and documentary photography
	Concluding remarks
	Acknowledgment
	Appendix 3.1
	Bibliography
4. From the great goddess to everywoman: Western naturalism and the Durga murti in West Bengal
	The Durga Puja of Bengal
	Between Sanskrit and English: the manual texts
	The law of the gods and the contemporary clay-modeler
	The great goddess of the holy books
	From great goddess to everywoman
	Conclusion: reterritorialization
	Notes
	References
5. Indian TV soaps and gender roles: Hindu widows in historical texts and contemporary TV serials
	“Karmic crime” and the potential danger of widows
	Markers of widowhood and their symbolism: dress, jewelry, hair
	Renegotiating widowhood in contemporary Indian TV serials
	Conclusion
	Notes
	References
6. Modern technology and its impact on religious performances in rural Himachal Pradesh: Personal remembrances and observations
	Glimpses of village life in 1984 and 2016
	Impact of new technologies on religious forms of expression
	Some impacts of stable electricity, television and electronic devices
	Water pipes and ancestor worship
	Motorized vehicles and “living images”
	Concluding remarks
	Notes
	References
7. Pilgrimage rituals and technological change: Alterations in the shraddha ritual at Kapilashram in the town of Siddhpur
	The Kapila pilgrimage place at Siddhpur and the shraddha ritual
	Change of infrastructure
	Changes in the shraddha ritual
	Recruiting ritual clients through the new media
	Concluding remarks
	Notes
	References
8. Changing Hindutva by technology: A case study of Hindutva Abhiyan and the use of social media
	Hindutva Abhiyan
	The importance of Hindutva in social media: perspectives of disciples
	Conclusion
	Notes
	References
9. Promoting Punjabi Deras’ ideologies online: A case of Dera Sacha Sauda
	Ideology of the “True Deal”
	Holy sayings and doings on the Web
	Spiritual Q&A Book: holy text on the Web
	Messages of the “Messenger”
	Notes
	References
10. Digital derasars in diaspora: A critical examination of Jain ritual online
	The impact of technological innovations on religious praxis
	Of virtual venues and digital derasars
	Real-world shrines, public and private
	The Jina in the cloud: typology of CMR in Jainism
	Finding the Jina in the cloud: reception and use
	Objections to ritual use of CMR
	Conclusion
	Notes
	References
Index