Invented Identities: The Interplay of Gender, Religion and Politics in India (Soas Studies on South Asia.)

"This book examines the construction of gender identities in different socio-religious contexts in the Indian subcontinent. It explores gender identities across many dimensions, regions and historical periods, touching upon, among others, the Vedas, spirit possession, caste and untouchability, religious and folk narratives, and communal violence." "This book provides a better understanding of how gender identities have been invented and valued in different historical, religious and regional contexts in India. With contributions from renowned scholars of South Asia, it is compulsory reading for those interested in gender, sociology, history and Indology."--Jacket. These essays examine processes by which gender identities are formalized and ritualized through language, ritual, narrative and politics. They help us to understand how gender identities in India have been invented and valued in different historical, religious and social contexts in India. These essays explore the processes by which gender identities are formalized and ritualized through language, ritual performance, narrative, and politics. They show how gender identities in India have been invented and valued in different historical, religious, and social contexts.