Sadhus [Paperback]

Dolf Hartsuiker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 11, 1993

Spiritual adventurers, ascetic warriors, religious transvestites or philosophical monks, the Indian Sadhus are worshipped by the Hindus as representatives of the gods. Dolf Hartsuiker has spent many years in intimate study of these mystics, who form a vital and unbroken link between the birth of yoga many millennia ago and the present day. This is a world of ancient rituals, symbols and ascetic practices ranging from meditation and yoga exercises to penance and austerities that are sometimes taken to the extremes of years of self-imposed silence, mortification or even ritual suicide. It is also a lifestyle with a secret language, which may involve celibacy, poverty and solitude, as well as a vocation as healer and teacher - or sorcerer. In this account, the author traces the historical and mythological roots of the Sadhus and examines the substantial differences between the many Sadhu sects. His colour photographs show not only their remarkable, disparate appearance, but, above all, their otherworldly beauty. According to Hindu beliefs, just by looking at these living idols - in the flesh or on the page the onlooker will receive their spiritual energy. Dolf Hartsuiker, artist, psychologist and traveller, divides his time between Utrecht and India. He holds a doctorate in psychology from the University of Utrecht.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Hartsuiker, a psychologist and world traveler, presents the lifestyle and beliefs of the sadhus, or Hindu holy men, in a format that is beautiful, thorough, and up-to-date. Over 100 clear and dramatic color photos of these holy men add depth and visual power to a text that itself is a masterful presentation of a complex but fascinating subject. Hartsuiker has done a marvelous job of explaining the Hindu concepts forming the foundational beliefs of these holy men, as well as explaining how the various sects developed. Separate chapters are given to those sadhus who are devotees of Shiva and Vishnu. The symbolism of the holy men's physical appearance, unfamiliar to Westerners, is lucidly explained; the color photos are strikingly captivating. An excellent bibliography is also included. Hartsuiker has given us what is sure to become a classic text on this subject. Highly recommended.
- David Bourquin, California State Univ., San Bernardino
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Review

"This is an arresting portrait of an unusual group of people."
(MG,? Napra Trade Journal )

"An important and positive contribution toward revealing India's rich, vast and mysterious religious diversity."
(Hinduism Today )

"At first, the reader might feel a sense of superiority, the kind of spiritual pride that C.S. Lewis describes where you are amazed that the whole world does not do things the way they do it in your church. Relentlessly, the calm prose, with its descriptions of the different Hindu sects and the intentions of the practitioners, wears away at your prejudice. You notice the twinkle in the eye of one elderly man, the peace on the face of another. The word "holy" takes on new meanings. An amazing book in every sense of the word."
(The Bloomsbury Review )

" . . . will give you a far better, more informed (and more colorful!) picture than several months of traveling.  I've found no comparable work on the subject."
(KK, Whole Earth, Winter 2000 )

"Hartsuiker, a psychologist and world traveler, presents the lifestyle and beliefs of the sadhus, or Hindu holy men, in a format that is beautiful, thorough, and up-to-date. Over 100 clear and dramatic color photos of these holy men add depth and visual power to a text that itself is a masterful presentation of a complex but fascinating subject. Hartsuiker has done a marvelous job of explaining the Hindu concepts forming the foundational beliefs of these holy men, as well as explaining how the various sects developed. Separate chapters are given to those sadhus who are devotees of Shiva and Vishnu. The symbolism of the holy men's physical appearance, unfamiliar to Westerners, is lucidly explained; the color photos are strikingly captivating. An excellent bibliography is also included. Hartsuiker has given us what is sure to become a classic text on this subject. Highly recommended."
(Library Journal (Monday , November 01, 1993) David Bourquin, California State Univ., San Bernardino ) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson (October 11, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500277354
• ISBN-13: 978-0500277355
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,625,379 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Unassuming Study Of Human Devotion, January 11, 2001

By 

Dr Lawrence Hauser (NYC, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sadhus: India's Mystic Holy Men (Paperback)

The men (and very occasionally women) portrayed in this inconspicuous volume are compelling in the extreme. It is only necessary to gaze at their faces and ash-dusted bodies to fully appreciate the gift of this work. But the author/photographer offers so much more.

As a study in psychology in extremis, the wealth of behavioral detail and description is satisfying. And the diverse, often incredibly imaginative, rituals of self-abnegation are conveyed with tremedous sensitivty and scrupulous balance.

The text is dense, and possibly impenetrable in places. It is academic in its emphasis on getting every possible relevant detail down. So one is met with an avalanche of esoterica upon delving in.

Perhaps the writing assumes a bit of knowlege and sophistication in Eastern ways? But it really doesn't matter anyway. Somehow a sense of what is important filters through after a while. And the photo captions are well-written and fascinating.

This is a picture of a society of devotees who have given it ALL up in order to stay exquisitely near to the timeless, pitiless cycle of death and regeneration that powers all life. The book itself is clearly an act of devotion to that extaordinay commitment.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Culturally educative, May 4, 2001

By 

Gabriel Cohen Henriquez (Panama, Panama Panama) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sadhus: India's Mystic Holy Men (Paperback)

I went to India twice, the first time for 4 months, and sadhus are definetly one of the most interesting people of the hindu world. Obviously their lifestyle is not comprehended by westerners and even less by closed-minded people who probably have never been to another continent with a different culture (as reviewer fro Hawaii); or if they have, they still have'nt learned to respect the differences and traditions among different societies. Since my first trip to India I saw this book on many bookstores there, and after comparing it to many others this is the one with the best pictures of the holly men. Incomprehension should not be a cause of disrespect; actually, this has caused wars, and still does.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Offers an esoteric perspective of Hinduism., August 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Sadhus: India's Mystic Holy Men (Paperback)

Cool color pictures, and intense documentation on the fascinating aspect of Hinduism that someone who's never been to India would have a hard time learning about. This is the India that non-Indians think of when they hear the term "India;" mysterious, forboding, and hard for the mind to think of for too long without profound bewilderment. Reccomend to anyone with even a mild interest in India or Hinduism, as is this is an integral part of her past, present, and undoubtedly, her future.