Wandering with Sadhus: Ascetics in the Hindu Himalayas (Contemporary Indian Studies) [Paperback]

Sondra L. Hausner (Author)

Book Description

Series: Contemporary Indian Studies | Publication Date: December 5, 2007

In this moving ethnographic portrait of Hindu renouncers—sadhus or ascetics—in northern India and Nepal, Sondra L. Hausner considers a paradox that shapes their lives: while ostensibly defined by their solitary spiritual practice, the stripping away of social commitments, and their break with family and community, renouncers in fact regularly interact with "householder" society. They form a distinctive, alternative community with its own internal structure, but one that is not located in any single place. Highly mobile and dispersed across the subcontinent, its members are regularly brought together through pilgrimage circuits on festival cycles. Drawing on many years of fieldwork, Hausner presents intimate portraits of individual sadhus as she examines the shared views of space, time, and the body that create the ground for everyday experience. Written with an extraordinary blend of empathy, compassion, and anthropological insight, this study will appeal to scholars, students, and general readers alike.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Will be of interest to students and scholars who are interested in any of a number of subjects: meditation, yoga, sacrifice, Vedanta, gender, bhakti, pilgrimage, body, space, desire, and liberation. Beautifully written, it is also a wonderful contribution to the fields of anthropology and religion." —Lindsey Harlan, Connecticut College

(Lindsey Harlan, Connecticut College )

"Wandering with Sadhus is a nuanced, humane, and evocative study of Hindu renouncers in South Asia. It is also a theoretically powerful contribution to anthropological scholarship on bodies in culture, the intricacies of social organization in South Asia, and the lived practice of a complex religious system." —Ernestine McHugh, author of Love and Honor in the Himalayas: Coming to Know Another Culture

(Ernestine McHugh, author of Love and Honor in the Himalayas: Coming to Know Another Culture )

"Wandering with Sadhus will be of interest to students and scholars who are interested in any of a number of subjects: meditation, yoga, sacrifice, Vedanta, gender, bhakti, pilgrimage, body, space, desire, and liberation. It will have broad appeal, and yet it treats its subject matter in depth. Beautifully written, it is also a wonderful contribution to the fields of anthropology and religion." —Lindsey Harlan, Connecticut College

(Lindsey Harlan, Connecticut College )

From the Publisher

"Wandering with Sadhus is a nuanced, humane, and evocative study of Hindu renouncers in South Asia. It is also a theoretically powerful contribution to anthropological scholarship on bodies in culture, the intricacies of social organization in South Asia, and the lived practice of a complex religious system." --Ernestine McHugh, author of Love and Honor in the Himalayas: Coming to Know Another Culture

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Indiana University Press (December 5, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0253219493
• ISBN-13: 978-0253219497
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #184,636 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tribute to the Baba's, June 5, 2009

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Ronin - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Wandering with Sadhus: Ascetics in the Hindu Himalayas (Contemporary Indian Studies) (Paperback)

Anyone who has been to India has seen Sadhus, the apparently homeless people who walk the Earth, or are more often seen just sitting around. It would be easy for many people to assume a quick "Pulp Fiction"-style dismissal and say, "We have a name for them, its called a Bum." Oh contraire, the Sadhus are renunciates of material possessions and are differentiated from "householders", who are expected to work to provide for their family. The renunciate severs all ambition for financial success or upward mobility for the sake of pursuing their spiritual path. They only accept what the world provides, and they willingly accept all the hardships associated with this choice. Throughout their 1,000+ year history they have been both accepted and respected in Hindu society. This book takes an academic approach to investigating the history, culture, beliefs, and lifestyle of the Sadhus, and sheds great insight into the lives of these unique and unusual people.

If you are interested in this mysterious culture, the book is filled with many good insights into their world, up to a point. many of the Sadhus smoke hasish through a chillum. This was not adequately detailed in the book, though it is briefly mentioned. I particularly liked to read about the new initiation ritual, which again is covered to a point. All the descriptions of the Kumbh Mela, or Sadhu gatherings, are very interesting as well.

The book is organized into 7-sections:

1) Intro: Wandering with Renouncers
2) The Body & Sadhu Society
3) The Social Structure of Sadhu Life
4) Hardwar: The Ground of Space
5) Allahabad: The Community in Time
6) Kathmandu: The Body in Place
7) Conclusion: The Culture of Hindu Renunciation

There is also a killer bibliography for additional sources. The book has high quality b/w photos, and the narrative held my attention throughout. I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anthropological Description at its Finest, April 12, 2008

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Viewer (los angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wandering with Sadhus: Ascetics in the Hindu Himalayas (Contemporary Indian Studies) (Paperback)

An extremely well written book about an aspect of Hindu society little known to Westerners. Hausner presents a depth of ethnographic detail that exhibits remarkable research and insight. Anyone interested in either anthropology or sociology can benefit from reading this book for the methodological expertise as well as for the content. A must read for anyone studying asceticism and/or ethnographic research.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars tremendous, June 16, 2008

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A Reader (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wandering with Sadhus: Ascetics in the Hindu Himalayas (Contemporary Indian Studies) (Paperback)

Though this book was written by an academic, it is accessible and indeed gripping reading for anyone with even a passing interest in sadhu culture, philosophy, and spirituality. Anyone who has been to India, and has seen sadhus, has no doubt wandered what their world is all about. Hausner has spent years wandering with them to find out, and in this book she brings what she has found to her readers in a way that is both informative and neither glorifies nor dismisses the complexities of their world -- you'll come away knowing more than ever, and wanting to know even more.