Subject Areas

The Encyclopedia of Hinduism is being organized around twelve subject areas in order to methodically collect and include articles on all aspects of Hindu thought, life, and custom, as well as religious and spiritual practice. Each subject area is headed and supervised by an eminent scholar as the Associate Editor. In some subject areas there are important subsections; experts in the field in turn supervise them. The following table will give a brief idea of the spread and scope of the project:

1. Art: Architecture, Music, Iconography, Painting, Dance, Drama, Theatre Performance and Sculpture.

2. Hinduism in Global Context: Nepal, Southeast Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America, Mauritius, Africa and the Caribbean.

3. History, Historiography and Geography: Religious Developments in Hindu Kingdoms and Empires. Epigraphy, Numismatics, Flora and Fauna, Mountains, Rivers and other pertinent data.

4. Language and Literature: Texts and commentaries in Sanskrit and in different Indian Languages, Folk Literature, Myths, Legends and Journals.

5. Philosophy: Metaphysics, Psychology, Ethics, Six Systems of Indian Philosophy, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh Thought, Tantra, Saiva Siddhanta and Contemporary Hindu Thought.

6. Polity: Political Institutions, Judicial Systems, Economics, Law and Order, Military History and Weapons.

7. Religion and Spirituality: Scriptures, Saiti, Smrti, Purana, Itihasa, Sutra, Bhasya, Sastra, Gods and Goddesses, Saints, Mystics and Teachers, Rites and Ceremonies, Vaisnavism, Saivism and Saktism, Holy Places, Sectarian Movements, Puranas, Temples, Sacraments and Modern Developments.

8. Sciences: Ayurveda, Astronomy, Astrology, Mathematics, Cosmology, Chemistry, and other relevant disciplines.

9. Social Institutions and Movements: Education, Varnasrama Dharma, Tribes and their Customs, Status of Women, Sports and Pastimes, Feasts, Fasts and Festivals, Diet, Dress and Cosmetics.

10.Spiritual Disciplines: Karma yoga, Bhaktiyoga, Jyanayoga, Hathayoga and Tantra.

11.Scholarship in Hindu Studies: Ideological, Theosophical, and Commentarial Tradition, Oral Tradition, Philological Studies, Sociological, Introspective, mystical and Comparative Studies.

12.Role of Hindu Women: Full coverage of issues related to the important role played by women in cherishing, maintaining, and transmitting Hindu heritage.