Join Mukunda as he speaks with Dr. T.S. Rukmani. Dr. T.S. Rukmani was a Professor and Chair of Hindu Studies at Concordia University, Montreal, Canada. […]
Join Mukunda as he speaks with Dr. Satyan Sharma. Dr. Sharma is a Professor of Sanskrit at the Panjab University in Chandigarh. He specializes in […]
Ismailism and Islamic History: A Conversation with Dr. Khalil Andani Join Mukunda as he speaks with Dr. Khalil Andani, an Islamic scholar and expert on […]
Join Mukunda as he speaks with Dr. Ruth Vanita. Dr. Vanita taught at Delhi University for 20 years and is now a Professor at the […]
Join Mukunda as he speaks with Farhan Qureshi. Farhan is an ex-Muslim who now identifies as Hindu. He is a perennialist, who believes in that […]
Join Mukunda as he speaks with the Funny Indian, Rajiv Satyal. Rajiv Satyal is a Los Angeles-based stand-up comedian and host of a Youtube show […]
Join Mukunda and Krishna as they speak with Dr. Bharat Gupt, a former Associate Professor in English at the University of Delhi, is an Indian […]
Join Mukunda as he speaks with Dr. McComas Taylor, Associate Professor of Sanskrit at Australian National University. In this episode, we discuss a host of […]
Join Mukunda as he speaks with Seth P. Hart, a PhD. Candidate and scholar of Christian Theology at the University of Durham. In this episode, […]
Join Mukunda as he speaks with Arjuna Gallagher of Theology Unleashed Youtube Show. Arjuna belongs to the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition specifically the Hare Krsna and […]
Join Mukunda as he speaks with pre-eminent scholars of the Dharma Shastras: Dr. Patrick Olivelle and Dr. Donald Davis. Dr. Olivelle is a world-renowned scholar […]
Join Mukunda as he speaks with Sri Rama Ramanuja Achari, also known as Rami Sivan, of www.srimatham.com. Sri Rama Ramanuja Achari is an Acharya of […]
Join Mukunda as he speaks to Professor Raj Balkaran, Oxford Centre of Hindu Studies. He is a scholar of the Puranas and Narratives and the […]
Join Mukunda as he speaks with Dr. Edward Butler, Caitlin Storm Breaker, Jim Two Snakes and Sarenth Odinsson on Polytheism in the modern world. Caitlin, Jim and Sarenth host a podcast called Around Grandfather Fire (https://aroundgrandfatherfire.wordpress.com/) on the various polytheistic traditions and issues in the modern world. Dr. Edward Butler is a resident scholar at the Indic Academy working on Indigenous Polytheistic traditions, world views and revival.
Join Mukunda and Krishna as we speak to Professor Archana Venkatesan, Professor of Religious Studies at University of California, Davis. She is an expert and translator of Tamil Bhakti poetry specifically the poetry or pasurams of the Azhwars, a group of saints, poets and mystics from what is now Tamil Nadu from the 6th to 9th centuries of the common era.
Join Mukunda as he speaks to Professor Sthaneshwar Timalsina, Professor of Religious Studies at San Diego State University. He is also a qualified Acharya and has been trained in Sanskrit and Shastras since he was a child. He is an expert on Tantra and Abhinavagupta, a 10th century polymath genius who worked on philosophy, drama, math, music, aesthetics, and other areas. Acharya Sthaneshwar is also Founder of the Vimarsha Foundation, a 501c(3) non-profit that engages in expounding and maintaining the Kashmiri Shaivism tradition.
Join Mukunda Raghavan and Krishna Parthasarathy as they speak with Dushyanth Sridhar, a Pauranika scholar, public lecturer on Sanatana Dharma and Upanyasakar. He has spoken […]
Join Mukunda as he speaks to Professor Lavanya Vemsani, Professor of Religious Studies and History at Shawnee State University in Ohio. She holds 2 Phd.s, one in History and the other in Religious Studies. She is also the Editor in Chief of the American Journal of Indic Studies. She has written extensively on comparative iconology, history, legends, and ideas between Hindu and Jaina thought, especially related to Krishna and Balarama in Jaina and Hindu thought. In this episode, we discuss a host of topics including:
0:01:30 Introduction to Prof. Vemsani and her background
0:05:40 Deep History and Continuity of Indian archeological sites and temple locations
0:16:00 Krishna and Balarama in the Hindu and Jaina contexts
0:18:20 Analysis of Balarama in Jaina traditions (Explanation of the Vasudeva, Baladeva, and Prati Vasudeva in Jaina Cosmology)
0:25:30 Historic Relationship and Interaction between Hindus and Jains
0:28:15 Return to Discussion on Balarama in Hindu vs. Jaina traditions
0:34:00 Narasimha and his connection sacred geography and cosmology, the Lord of the Middle
0:43:00 Integration and Pluralism of Hinduism and the practices
0:45:45 Academia, Colonialism and Hindu Studies: Built-in Western Bias and Lens
1:03:15 Aryan Invasion/Migration Theory and how it impacts everything about Indian studies, politics, and culture
1:05:05 Caste and how it is different from Varna and how it changed over time in Hindu society prior to British and even prior to 10th century
1:08:20 The flaws and discussion of the Aryan Invasion/Migration Theory (Genetic, Linguistic and Material Archeological issues)
1:31:35 How to approach providing controversial topics in school and education
1:35:30 Prof. Vemsani’s upcoming work and preliminary discussion of Heroines of the Mahabharata
Join Mukunda as he speaks to Neha Srivastava, Founder and President of Shaktitva Foundation. Neha and Shaktitva are focused on feminism, feminity, women’s issues, advocacy, and Hindu issues. In this episode, we discuss a host of topics including:
0:01:20 Introduction to Neha and her background
0:04:20 Overview of the Sabarimalai Issue
0:12:40 Women and Sabarimalai
0:18:00 Formation of Shaktitva
0:24:45 Discussion on the Nature of Hindu Temples and Government Control
0:32:20 Discussion on Shakti, Rama and understanding texts
0:37:00 Discussion of Shakti, Femininity and Gender
0:43:20 Samkhya Philosophy, Shakta Tradition and thinking on Gender
0:47:15 Hindu Understanding of Feminism
0:54:30 Attacks on Hindu Subaltern Practices and Traditions
1:18:00 History of Feminism and Difference between Western and Indian feminism
1:30:14 Village Women and Financial Literacy
1:41:40 Issues in Indian Non-Profit Law and Hinduism
1:49:20 Modern vs Traditional responses to Woman’s Health Issues specifically Menstruation
1:58:40 Dalit Scholars and Hindutva, the lack of free speech platforms
2:01:45 Concluding Thoughts and Upcoming Projects
Join Mukunda as he speaks to Prof. Guru Prakash, Professor of Law at Patna University in Bihar. Prof. Prakash is a Dalit scholar and activist, who writes, studies and speaks on Dalit Issues in India and Hindu society. In this episode, we discuss a host of topics (listed broadly with approximate timestamps):
1 min 20 seconds: Introduction and Background of Professor Guru Prakash
6 min 55 seconds: Civil Rights of African Americans and the comparison with Dalit movement in India
10 min: Diversity within the Dalit Jati or Community
16 min 40 sec: Complexity in Understanding Caste
23 min 20 sec: Interaction and Issues between Jati or Castes vis-Ã -vis Education and Careers
31 min 14 min: Differences between Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Castes and Scheduled Tribes
39 min: Hinduism, Hindutva, Ambedkar and Dalits
51 min 50 sec: The problem with the Dalit-Muslim-Marxist alliance
1 hour 7 min: Addressing the Dalit Cause in Society
1 hour 16 min 50 sec: Christian Missionary Activity Impact on Dalit communities
1 Hour 21 min: Closing Thoughts
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