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Artwork for New Books in Indian Religions

New Books in Indian Religions

Marshall Poe
Hinduism
Buddhism
Yoga
Sanskrit
Islam
Jainism
Mahabharata
India
Caste
Hindu Nationalism
Christianity
Ashoka
Bhagavad Gita
Dharma
Colonialism
Philosophy
Religious Studies
Indian Philosophy
Indian History
Material Culture

This podcast is a channel on the New Books Network. The New Books Network is an academic audio library dedicated to public education. In each episode you will hear scholars discuss their recently published research with another expert in their field. Discover our 150+ channels and browse our 28,000+ episodes on our website: ⁠newbooksnetwork.com⁠ Subscribe to our free weekly Substack newsletter to ... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes639Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Religion & SpiritualityHinduism

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Artwork for New Books in Indian Religions

Latest Episodes

South Asia Before Religion: Reflections on an Anachronistic Concept (Knowledge Commons Works, 2026) critically examines the applicability of the concept of religion to premodern South Asian culture. I argue that premodern South Asia did not possess a... more

A conversation featuring the editors of the new Heidelberg Asian Studies Publishing series Pathika - Studies of South Asian Texts and Traditions (HAS, 2026)

Pathika – Sanskrit for "traveler" or "one who follows a path" – is a new series dedicated t... more

With the plurality of Hinduism in mind, The Bloomsbury Handbook of Hindu Ethics focuses on the human, sociological and situational ethical framework underpinning Hindu ethics. Chapters go beyond the traditional classical sources-such as the Vedas, ep... more

Tamil Buddhism and Brahminism in Modern India: Deep Resistance Against Caste (Oxford University Press, 2026) explores

Tamil Buddhism in modern India, focusing on its emergence

as a response to caste-based oppression during the late nineteenth and more

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Recent Guests

Ute Hüsken
Co-editor of Pathika series
Heidelberg University/Pathika editors
Episode: Ute Hüsken and Suganya Anandakichenin eds., "Pathika: Studies of South Asian Texts and Traditions" (HAS, 2026)
Suganya Anandakichenin
Co-editor of Pathika series
Heidelberg University/Pathika editors
Episode: Ute Hüsken and Suganya Anandakichenin eds., "Pathika: Studies of South Asian Texts and Traditions" (HAS, 2026)
Pratap Penumala
Co-editor of Bloomsbury Handbook of Hindu Ethics
Co-editor, Bloomsbury Handbook of Hindu Ethics
Episode: Pratap Kumar Penumala and Arvind Sharma, "The Bloomsbury Handbook of Hindu Ethics" (Bloomsbury, 2026)
Sudalaimuthu Palaniappan
Episode: Sudalaimuthu Palaniappan, "Tamil Śiva Temples, Āgamas, and Śivabrāhmaṇas/Ādiśaivas" (YSSR Foundation, 2026)
Aditi Chandra
Professor of Islamic Art and Architectural History
University of California, Merced
Episode: Aditi Chandra, "Unruly Monuments: Disrupting the State at Delhi's Islamic Architecture" (Cambridge UP, 2025)
Nihar Gokhale
Researcher focusing on Goa environmentalism and Christian environmentalism
Independent scholar / Goa-based researcher
Episode: Christian Environmentalism in a Hindu Majoritarian Context
Kenneth Bo Nielsen
Researcher examining church engagement with environmental issues in Goa
Academic researcher
Episode: Christian Environmentalism in a Hindu Majoritarian Context
Anna Lee White
Co-editor of Sanskrit Hymns Across Traditions, Studying Stotras
Co-editor, Sanskrit Hymns Across Traditions, Studying Stotras
Episode: Hamsa Stainton and Anna Lee White, "Sanskrit Hymns Across Traditions: Studying Stotras" (Routledge, 2026)
Dr. Hamsa Stainton
Co-editor of Sanskrit Hymns Across Traditions, Studying Stotras
Co-editor, Sanskrit Hymns Across Traditions, Studying Stotras
Episode: Hamsa Stainton and Anna Lee White, "Sanskrit Hymns Across Traditions: Studying Stotras" (Routledge, 2026)

Host

Raj Balker
Host of the podcast; appears across multiple episodes guiding scholarly conversations.

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 48 ratings
  • My first review

    I was compelled to express my appreciation for this podcast. Ran Balkaran has such a soothing smart voice and open curiosity that each interview is a deep conversation, real dialogue, and fun exploration.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LatinaYogi
    United States5 years ago
  • Jennifer B. Saunders Is Ear Grating

    I only listened to one episode before I unsubscribed. Jennifer B. Saunders has the most broken speech I’ve ever heard for someone qualified and educated. She says um like every other word, come on. Speak better, your voice is so slow, and the “um”s need to stop.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Kata R
    United States6 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the host for a thoughtful, curious interviewing style and engaging dialogue.
One listener criticizes the speaking style of a guest; overall feedback highlights depth of content.

Chart Rankings

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Shameem Black, "Flexible India: Yoga's Cultural and Political Tensions" (Columbia UP, 2023)
Q: Could you start us off, please, by introducing yourself a little bit and tell us why you decided to write this book? What kinds of questions did you want to ask with this project?
Shameem Black discusses her background, approach, and the three core questions guiding Flexible India: the global spread and modern relevance of yoga; the power relations and who benefits or pays costs; and what resources yoga offers for critical, creative thinking beyond mere depictions of power. She emphasizes the book's aim to merge traditional scholarly analysis with reflective, creative approaches to explore yoga as a site of power, culture, and potential cross-cultural connection.
Manasicha Akepiyapornchai, "Surrender to God Across Languages: Multilingual Intellectual History of Premodern India" (Oxford UP, 2026)
Q: If folks were to take one thing away, what do you most hope folks would take away from it?
The central takeaway is that a more comprehensive story emerges when we study language and doctrine together across multilingual traditions, rather than limiting analysis to a single linguistic sphere or tradition; multilingual, micro-historical inquiry reveals the drivers of self-surrender and doctrinal development.
The Diasporic Hindu Right with Savera
Q: Could you walk us through what you mean by the American Sangh and how it functions as a network in the US?
The American Sangh is a diffuse, networked offshoot of the Hindutva movement in the US, not a single organization, with nodes across organizations that share the broader goal of Hindutva while operating through diverse, diaspora-connected activities.
Kanika Singh, "The Story of a Sikh Museum: Heritage, Politics, Popular Culture" (Cambridge UP, 2025)
Q: How would you describe the museum's role in shaping community memory and national belonging?
Kanika Singh argues that the museum blends religious reverence and political memory, using visual history and public display to forge an emotional connect and a shared Khalsa identity, while also highlighting contested aspects and the broader context of Sikh history in independent India.
Kanika Singh, "The Story of a Sikh Museum: Heritage, Politics, Popular Culture" (Cambridge UP, 2025)
Q: What drew you to Bhai Mati Das Museum as a site of study?
The interviewee explains it began from a chance encounter and a longstanding interest in Sikh museums, leading to the Bhai Mati Das Museum becoming a focal case study due to its location, its connections to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, and its embodiment of how Sikh history is publicly memory-worked through visuals.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About New Books in Indian Religions

What is New Books in Indian Religions about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Scholarly conversations center on South Asian religions, philosophy, and cultural history, with a strong emphasis on primary texts, translation, and methodological debates. Episodes feature academics and editors discussing recent books and projects—from decolonial approaches to ethics and Indology, to Manusmriti commentary, yoga philosophy, Tamil studies, and the ecology of sacred sites and mantras. A notable throughline is bridging traditional textual analysis with contemporary concerns—translation, pedagogy, public engagement, and diaspora perspectives—often highlighting interdisciplinary methods and cross-cultural dialogue. The format tends to blend rigorous scholarly analysis with accessible storytelling, including author insights, edit... more

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New Books in Indian Religions launched 12 years ago and published 639 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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Recent guests on New Books in Indian Religions include:

1. Ute Hüsken
2. Suganya Anandakichenin
3. Pratap Penumala
4. Sudalaimuthu Palaniappan
5. Aditi Chandra
6. Nihar Gokhale
7. Kenneth Bo Nielsen
8. Anna Lee White

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