Was Hinduism Invented?

Subaltern Speaks: Decolonizing Spirituality

In this episode, join host Yasamin Jameh and guest Kalpesh Bhatt as they unpack the discourses on the origins of Hinduism, and the use of the term Hinduism to denote identity and religion. Furthermore, they explore how these ideas are tied to discussions of colonialism and national identity.

Kalpesh Bhatt is a PhD candidate in the Department for the Study of Religion, Center for South Asian Studies, and Center for Diaspora and Transnational Studies at the University of Toronto. His doctoral study explores the theoretical challenges that everyday ethical reflections and actions of religious people pose to secular liberal understandings of agency and autonomy. Focusing on the Bhagavad Gītā, Kalpesh examines how modern receptions of premodern sacred texts shape, and are shaped by, secular conditions, everyday concerns, and the ethical subjectivation of its practitioners. He also holds a Master of Theological Studies (MTS) from Harvard University and has directed several films, including an IMAX film on India named Mystic India and Sat-Chit-Anand, a state-of-the-art multimedia show that highlights the dynamics between religion and technology, tradition and modernity.

Transcripts available https://studentlife.utoronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/Subaltern-Speaks-S2-E1-Transcript.pdf