{"product_id":"gods-guns-missionaries-the-making-of-the-modern-hindu-identity-by-manu-s-pillai","title":"Gods, Guns \u0026 Missionaries: The Making of the Modern Hindu Identity By Manu S. Pillai","description":"\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"1axlwn4\" data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"88\"\u003eGods, Guns \u0026amp; Missionaries: The Making of the Modern Hindu Identity By Manu S. Pillai\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"90\" data-end=\"643\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"90\" data-end=\"160\"\u003eGods, Guns \u0026amp; Missionaries: The Making of the Modern Hindu Identity\u003c\/strong\u003e is a deeply researched and provocative historical work by \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eManu S. Pillai\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e. The book explores how modern Hindu identity was shaped through centuries of interaction between Indian society, European missionaries, colonial power, and evolving political thought. Blending narrative history with sharp analysis, Pillai challenges simplified ideas of Hinduism as a fixed or timeless tradition and instead presents it as a dynamic identity shaped by historical forces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"645\" data-end=\"1136\"\u003eAt the heart of the book is the encounter between India and European missionaries who arrived from the 16th century onward. Early missionary accounts often misunderstood Hindu practices, describing them through a lens of superstition or “paganism.” However, as Pillai shows, these encounters gradually became more complex, revealing that Hindu traditions were not monolithic but diverse, adaptable, and deeply rooted in philosophical and cultural systems that resisted simple categorization.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1138\" data-end=\"1667\"\u003eAs European influence expanded during the colonial period, missionary activity and Western political power began to reshape how religion itself was understood in India. Hindu communities responded in varied ways—sometimes resisting, sometimes adapting, and often reformulating their traditions in response to external critique. According to Pillai, this period played a crucial role in the gradual formation of what we now recognize as “modern Hindu identity,” influenced both by internal reform movements and external pressures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1669\" data-end=\"2175\"\u003eThe book moves beyond religious history to examine broader themes of power, ideology, and identity formation. It brings together figures such as rulers, reformers, missionaries, intellectuals, and colonial administrators to show how competing narratives about religion and culture evolved over time. Pillai highlights how colonial frameworks of thinking influenced Indian self-perception, while also showing how Indian actors actively reshaped these narratives to suit their own social and political needs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2177\" data-end=\"2593\"\u003eOne of the key strengths of \u003cem data-start=\"2205\" data-end=\"2232\"\u003eGods, Guns \u0026amp; Missionaries\u003c\/em\u003e is its refusal to treat Hinduism as static. Instead, it presents it as a living, evolving tradition shaped by negotiation, conflict, adaptation, and reinterpretation. The book also explores how these historical processes contributed to the emergence of modern political identities, including later nationalist movements and debates about cultural authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2595\" data-end=\"2904\"\u003eWritten in a lucid and engaging style, the book combines academic rigor with storytelling, making complex historical processes accessible to general readers. It is both a work of scholarship and a narrative exploration of how identity is constructed over time through contact, conflict, and cultural exchange.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-section-id=\"1iz91iu\" data-start=\"2906\" data-end=\"2922\"\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"2923\" data-end=\"3395\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"xgz3n6\" data-start=\"2923\" data-end=\"2962\"\u003eWritten by historian Manu S. Pillai\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1d7b3te\" data-start=\"2963\" data-end=\"3025\"\u003eExplores the historical formation of modern Hindu identity\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"vu5qr9\" data-start=\"3026\" data-end=\"3092\"\u003eExamines colonial encounters and missionary influence in India\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"rkuvb5\" data-start=\"3093\" data-end=\"3156\"\u003eChallenges the idea of Hinduism as a single fixed tradition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1wazd57\" data-start=\"3157\" data-end=\"3212\"\u003eCombines political, cultural, and religious history\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1amfwzd\" data-start=\"3213\" data-end=\"3276\"\u003eBased on extensive historical research and archival sources\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1nj09x5\" data-start=\"3277\" data-end=\"3337\"\u003eConnects religion, identity, and colonial power dynamics\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1wlzs9r\" data-start=\"3338\" data-end=\"3395\"\u003eEngaging narrative style suitable for general readers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-section-id=\"h2cxh1\" data-start=\"3397\" data-end=\"3413\"\u003eKeywords\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3414\" data-end=\"3940\"\u003eGods Guns \u0026amp; Missionaries by Manu S Pillai, Manu S Pillai books, modern Hindu identity book, Hinduism history colonial India, European missionaries in India, Indian religious history books, colonialism and religion India, Hindu identity formation, South Asian history books, Indian history nonfiction, Hinduism and colonialism, political history of religion, Manu Pillai latest book, history of Hinduism modern era, cultural identity India, religion and empire books, historical analysis Hinduism, Indian colonial history books\/\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"TB","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54138084262180,"sku":null,"price":958.0,"currency_code":"NPR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0686\/3100\/3428\/files\/Gods_Guns_Missionaries.webp?v=1780313130","url":"https:\/\/grey.com.np\/products\/gods-guns-missionaries-the-making-of-the-modern-hindu-identity-by-manu-s-pillai","provider":"Grey.com.np","version":"1.0","type":"link"}