During the period of late colonialism, from the years 1857 to 1947, Hindus envisioned the relationship of Hinduism to political, social, and technological changes in diverse ways. Key topics explored in this volume include authority, tradition, and modernity; modern science, Hinduism, and the body; regional religious reform; ideologies of a distinctive Indian identity; emerging political discourses and religious revival; the impact of images via new print media on devotion and political symbolism; the reinvigoration of sampradaya, monastic institutions, and regional networks; and the global spread of Hindus and Hindu teachings.

A Cultural History of Hinduism in the Age of Late Colonialism is part of a six-volume set providing an authoritative survey of one of the world's oldest religious traditions in its social and cultural contexts, from ancient times to the present. Each volume includes essays on sources of authority; body and mind; social organization and everyday norms; identity, difference, and dialogue; power and politics; visual culture; lineages and emerging exemplars and movements; and global context.