Category Archives: Deeksha Sivakumar

God©

By Deeksha Sivakumar Religion has always provided a reliable and recognizable brand name in the realm of the market where choices are too many. This is especially so in India, where Hindu gods have more celebrity appeal than any movie … Continue reading

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Yoga and the Question of Religious Identity

By Deeksha Sivakumar Is yoga Hindu? Both categories (yoga, Hindu) are, of course, highly problematic on both conceptual and historical grounds. If we were to ask whether yoga is Indian, more people may feel comfortable answering in the affirmative, though … Continue reading

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Creating the Space for god

by Deeksha Sivakumar It is the Tamil new year’s first month Chittirai, where several important festivals take place especially in Tamil Nadu. Madurai, home of the Tamil Sangam (Literary Council) and residence of the Goddess Meenakshi, witnesses a spectacular twenty … Continue reading

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“Life is like a box of chocolates”…

by Deeksha Sivakumar I am always surprised when Valentine’s day rolls around in America as the fiery public outbursts don’t seem so prevalent. In contemporary India this day holds a special significance especially for youngsters. More than the average date-night … Continue reading

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“My name is Khan, and I’m not a Terrorist”

by Deeksha Sivakumar A recent controversy with Kamal Haasan’s movie Vishwaroopam elicited a lot of rage from Indian Muslim organizations. These groups felt that the movie portrayed Muslims in poor light, depicting them as “all terrorists.” Several cited one particular … Continue reading

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Reading Between the Lines

  By Deeksha Sivakumar There are many ways in which theorists researching religious traditions outside of our own particular areas of expertise can help us investigate our own scholarship. Last year I encountered the work of Daniel Boyarin who writes … Continue reading

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Co-opting Categories: It’s the Cats’ Meow

By Deeksha Sivakumar Pulivesham (“Tiger Disguise”), a well-known dancing ritual in Southern India, resurfaced in the news forcing me to question what we name ‘religious ritual’ and what we tend to call ‘folk’ or ‘popular’ practices. What is even more … Continue reading

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