Meeting God: Elements of Hindu Devotion [Hardcover]

Stephen Huyler (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0300079834 | ISBN-13: 978-0300079838 | Publication Date: August 11, 1999

This beautiful book is the first to enable Western readers to witness devotional practices of the Hindu people. Hundreds of arresting photographs document the spirituality of common men and women in India, while definitions, descriptions, and captivating stories reveal the wide scope of their beliefs and practices.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

An anthropologist-turned-believer, Stephen Huyler has dared to cross the line of objectivity and produce an introduction to Hindu religion that combines first-person detail with reverential admiration. Ten years in the making, Meeting God is the culmination of Huyler's travels throughout the Indian subcontinent, documenting in vivid photographs the panoply of Hindu devotional practices. What distinguishes Meeting God is its intimacy--through his glossy color photos and vignettes of individual Hindus practicing their rituals, he takes the reader into a world that pulses with the power of faith. The crux of the book is puja, daily devotional practices that anchor Hindus in the divinity of the universe, whether that person is a farmer, carpenter, engineer, or housewife. The remarkable array of different puja don't seem to interfere with modern life in India, and, as Huyler insists, actually enhance it. Given the vacuity of meaning in our own modern world, each page of Meeting God is an inspiration to deepen life. --Brian Bruya

From Publishers Weekly

For centuries, India's strict caste system prohibited many Hindus from worshipping their gods in a public way simply because lower caste Hindus could not afford the services of a brahmin (a priest). Yet Huyler, co-curator of the Puja: Expressions of Hindu Devotion exhibition at the Smithsonian's Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, notes that these lower caste families and individuals found many ways to worship and to keep alive devotion to their own religion. In what is sure to become an enduring work, the author provides descriptions of the many devotional rituals that occupy Hindus as they seek darshan, seeing and being seen by God. In an opening chapter, Huyler explains the major concepts of Hindu devotions: puja, "a ceremonial act of showing reverence to a God or Goddess through invocation, prayer, song, and ritual"; dharma, "the supreme law of righteousness"; karma, "the doctrine of absolute responsibility"; varna, the caste system; Brahmanas, priests and their families. Using stories and photographs, Huyler describes the elements of public worship in a Hindu temple, the rituals accompanying worship in the home, the practices surrounding community festivals, processions that honor specific deities and the coming-of-age ceremonies that mark adolescence and old age. Photos grace every page: 200 in all, gorgeous full-color depictions of temples, household shrines, statuary of deities, sacred sites such as the Ganges River and people engaged in particular ritual activities and processions. Huyler's riveting prose and lavish photos bring Hinduism and its practices to life in all their richness and diversity. (Sept.) FYI: The book will accompany an exhibition that opens at the Houston Museum of Natural Science in fall 1999.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press (August 11, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300079834
• ISBN-13: 978-0300079838
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #938,404 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and passionate look at world's oldest religion, October 24, 2002

By 

Recipedelights-dot-com-chef (San Francisco, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Meeting God: Elements of Hindu Devotion (Hardcover)

Tons of books have been written that explain and glorify the wisdom and philosophy of Hinduism. Many non-Hindus have been more than happy to embrace some or all of these concepts, one of the most ubiquitous being the concept of "karma". But even they can feel awed, confused, surprised or a combination of these emotions when they first encounter the seemingly anachronistic practices of Hinduism- like worshipping the stones or trees.

This is one of the few books that explain well to the western audience the whats and whys of the oldest religion in the world. It focuses on the approach of common Hindu folks to their religion and how it enhances their day-to-day life. Author starts with some basic concepts and then goes on to draw pen-pictures of daily lives of devout Hindus that, at least in the religious sense, defy modernization in contemporary India. The text aided by vivid pictures fires the imagination and magically transports the reader to India. The deep passion of the author is clearly reflected in the knowledgeable text. Hinduism is a very flexible religion, which is primarily the reason it has survived thousands of years. It is perfectly acceptable to practice faith in ways different from those of ancestors, provided certain basic tenets are kept in mind. The approach to religion may vary by region, by economic status, or caste but the important thing to note that diversity is acceptable.

Author has presented the approach to Hinduism in rural India or that practiced by lower income strata of the society, which comprises of a significant number of Indian Hindus. This approach is different from that practiced by urban Hindus or those in middle or upper income class. This book is highly recommended to all who have interest in religion, those who have an unquenchable thirst for anything Indian and even practicing Hindus.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Personal Look at Hinduism, June 16, 2000

By 

Todd E. Graczykowski (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Meeting God: Elements of Hindu Devotion (Hardcover)

Stephen Huyler's book is a very personal and informative look at the daily lives of many different Hindus. Various aspects of daily rituals are pictured and described. Numerous holy places are visited and captured on film and in spirit by Mr. Huyler. A great many elements of Hinduism are discussed, holy days, sacred sites, shrines, as well as numerous Gods and Goddesses. The photography is simply magnificent and the text informative. Anyone who is interested in Hinduism, India, and wants to make the sacred part of their lives, must have this book. As the author suggests, this book should enrich and inspire our own daily rituals and prayers. It has made all the difference in my life.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Easily the most approachable book on Hindu practice I've see, March 9, 2001

By 

Gabriela Rios (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Meeting God: Elements of Hindu Devotion (Hardcover)

Initially I purchased this book for the multitude of color photographs contained within it. Once I began leafing through its pages, I realized it was written in such elegant simplicity that I was drawn in immediately.

Each chapter covers a different aspect of Hindu worship in India: worship in the home, with one's community, at a temple, etc. The book does not so much explain Hinduism as it does the way Hindus approach their faith.

I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in Indian culture or Hinduism. It's a fascinating read.