Hinduism in Five Minutes

Hinduism in Five Minutes provides an accessible and lively introduction to common questions about the practices, ideas, and narratives often identified as Hindu. Suitable for beginning students and the general reader, the book offers more than seventy brief essays on a range of fascinating questions about Hinduism and its study, such as: Who founded Hinduism? How many gods are in Hinduism? What are the most important stories in Hinduism? Why do Hindus not eat beef? Is the Hindu goddess a feminist? What is the ultimate purpose or goal of Hinduism? How does caste affect what a person does? What are significant holidays or festivals for Hindus? Do Hindus still have arranged marriages? Is yoga important in Hinduism? Do you have to be Indian to be Hindu? What does a guru do in Hinduism? What does worship in Hinduism look like? Each essay is written by a leading authority and offers succinct, insightful answers along with suggestions for further reading, making the book an ideal starting point for classroom use or personal browsing.