New Books in Indian Religions

Marshall Poe

Hinduism

Buddhism

Yoga

Sanskrit

Mahabharata

Caste

Islam

Jainism

India

Ashoka

Hindu Nationalism

Bhagavad Gita

Dharma

Colonialism

Philosophy

Religious Studies

Christianity

Material Culture

Indian History

Ramayana

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

48 ratings

Publishes	Twice weekly	Episodes	647	Founded	12 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	HinduismReligion & Spirituality

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Latest Episodes

Tatjana Kochetkova and Anway Mukhopadhyay eds., "Transhumanism and Divine Humanity in Global Traditions" (Routledge, 2026)

Amid global dialogue on the nature of human enhancement, this book traces humanity's pursuit of self-transcendence and enhancement from ancient times to the present, as reflected in diverse traditions across the globe. Transhumanism and Divine Humani... more

3 Sep 2026 • 35 min

Theo Wildcroft and Beverley Nolan, "Leading Safe and Simple Yoga Nidras: A Yoga Teacher's Guide" (Singing Dragon, 2026)

In Leading Safe and Simple Yoga Nidras: A Yoga Teacher's Guide (Singing Dragon, 2026), experienced yoga teachers Theo Wildcroft and Beverley Nolan provide a comprehensive guide to teaching yoga nidras. While there are many resources available teachi... more

27 Aug 2026 • 44 min • Popular

Aleksandar Uskokov, "Deciphering the Hidden Meaning: Language and the Highest Good in Early Advaita Vedānta" (Oxford UP, 2026)

Deciphering the Hidden Meaning: Language and the Highest Good in Early Advaita Vedānta (Oxford UP, 2026) presents a transformative history of one of the most significant ideas in Indian philosophy: liberation. Taking the great philosopher Śaṅkara as ... more

20 Aug 2026 • 46 min • Most popular

Utathya Chattopadhyaya, "Ganja Matters: Empire and the Pursuits of Cannabis in British India" (U California Press, 2026)

Ganja

is the popular name in Hindustani, Bengali, and other South Asian

languages for intoxicating substances produced from the plant species

Cannabis sativa L. Starting in the eighteenth century, British India's

colonial administrators sought wa... more

19 Aug 2026 • 59 min

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Recent Guests

James Lochtefeld

Author of God's Own Land, Professor

Author, Garhwal studies

Episode: James Lochtefeld, "God’s Own Land: Sacred Landscape, Pilgrim Economy and Religious Change in the Ganga Himalaya" (Lever Press, 2026)

Edward TG. Anderson

Professor of History, specialist in Indian diaspora, transnational politics, Hindutva and Hindu nationalism

Northumbria University, UK

Episode: Edward T. G. Anderson, "Hindu Nationalism in the Indian Diaspora: Transnational Politics and British Multiculturalism" (Oxford UP, 2024)

Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz

Co-author, translator of The Swasthani Vrata Katha

Penn State University (co-authoring context mentioned)

Episode: Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz and Alaka Atreya Chudal "The Swasthani Vrata Katha" (Oxford UP, 2026)

Alaka Chudal

Co-author, translator of The Swasthani Vrata Katha

University of Vienna

Episode: Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz and Alaka Atreya Chudal "The Swasthani Vrata Katha" (Oxford UP, 2026)

James Fitzgerald

Professor Emeritus of Sanskrit, Brown University

Brown University

Episode: James L. Fitzgerald, "The Mahabharata, Volume 8" (U Chicago Press, 2026)

Dominik Haas

Postdoc, Austrian Academy of Sciences; collaborator on the Mantrams Project

Austrian Academy of Sciences

Episode: Dominik A. Haas, "South Asia Before Religion: Reflections on an Anachronistic Concept" (Knowledge Commons Works, 2026)

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)

Host

Raj Balakrishnan

Host of the network channel focused on Indian religions; long-running host with expertise in South Asian textual studies

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

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Listeners Say

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

Guests praise the depth and rigor of conversations and the opportunity to discuss recent scholarly works.

Overall sentiment skews positive about scholarly value and intellectual curiosity.

A few listeners highlight variance in pacing or delivery across episodes, with some voices described as very analytical.

Some listeners note a highly dialogic, exploratory interview style that can feel like a deep-dive academic seminar.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts	#72	United States/Religion & Spirituality/Hinduism
Apple Podcasts	#5	United Kingdom/Religion & Spirituality/Hinduism
Apple Podcasts	#63	Canada/Religion & Spirituality/Hinduism
Apple Podcasts	#14	France/Religion & Spirituality/Hinduism
Apple Podcasts	#23	Italy/Religion & Spirituality/Hinduism
Apple Podcasts	#34	Australia/Religion & Spirituality/Hinduism

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

James Lochtefeld, "God’s Own Land: Sacred Landscape, Pilgrim Economy and Religious Change in the Ganga Himalaya" (Lever Press, 2026)

Q: What is the author's key takeaway about pilgrimage versus tourism, and what does the book argue readers should understand about these practices?

The book argues that distinctions between pilgrimage and tourism are often artificial; people bring diverse backgrounds and motivations to sacred sites, and understanding this helps in studying the economic and cultural dynamics of pilgrimage without reductive labels.

James Lochtefeld, "God’s Own Land: Sacred Landscape, Pilgrim Economy and Religious Change in the Ganga Himalaya" (Lever Press, 2026)

Q: How does the author view the relationship between myth, narrative, and lived religious practice in these landscapes?

The author argues that narratives, whether called myth or story, are lived and felt as real by people in sacred spaces, shaping consciousness before pilgrims even step onto the soil and influencing how they experience pilgrimage.

Edward T. G. Anderson, "Hindu Nationalism in the Indian Diaspora: Transnational Politics and British Multiculturalism" (Oxford UP, 2024)

Q: Would you delimit your study to the UK diaspora or take a wider global lens, and how does the transnational approach change the findings?

While the UK is a primary focus, the book adopts a transnational lens to show how Hindutva operates across nodes beyond the homeland. This approach reveals intra-diaspora interactions, diverse affiliations, and how diaspora actors connect with or distance themselves from homeland organizations, leading to a more nuanced understanding of global Hindutva beyond a single-country perspective.

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.

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?

This channel features scholarly conversations around recent scholarly works in South Asian religion, philosophy, ethics, and textual studies. Episodes commonly center on translations, editorial history, and methodological approaches to ancient texts; they often explore how religious traditions, ethics, and ritual practices intersect with broader cultural, political, and historical contexts. Notable differentiators include a strong emphasis on open-access publishing models, cross-disciplinary methods, and a focus on how language, textual transmission, and tradition shape interpretation for contemporary audiences. The conversation style tends to be rigorous yet accessible, with guest scholars presenting their work and answering questions that... more

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New Books in Indian Religions launched 12 years ago and published 647 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. James Lochtefeld
2. Edward TG. Anderson
3. Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz
4. Alaka Chudal
5. James Fitzgerald
6. Dominik Haas
7. Ute Hüsken
8. Suganya Anandakichenin

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