'The ancient ritual becomes alive and more meaningful for the young people of today, for whom this book is meant' - Michael Witzel, Harvard University 'This beautiful book is sure to become the standard guide for understanding and organizing Vedic weddings' - Prof. Subhash Kak, Louisiana State University An immensely accessible guide, The Vedic Wedding will take you to the roots of the Hindu wedding ceremony, on a journey of its evolution from the Rig Vedic times to the present day. A.V. Srinivasan brings the best of his experiential wisdom as a Hindu priest and scholar in the US in uniquely accessible explanations of each ritual of the traditional ceremony, along with a wealth of knowledge about their origin, variations and significance. One of its kind, this book will help you understand and appreciate, as well as execute, the traditional Vedic wedding ceremony and get a flavour of India's wedding culture, its true meaning and significance.

In the late nineteenth century, as dominance of British power in India led to the imposition of an alien culture on indigenous life-ways, the entire world of local domestic life and its most intimate relationships became contested ground. This anthology offers translated selections from nine Bengali domestic manuals written by both men and women in the course of these debates and contestations. In simple and often colloquial language these how to do it books act as guides to conducting relations within a family context, child rearing, and household management. Often presented in the form of an intimate dialogue between husband and wife in the dead of the night, the translations provide an unusual insight into the home of the Bengali bhadralok in colonial times. As one hurtles from one representation of middle-class reformism to another, it becomes clear that this anthology is an invaluable addition to the rather thin collection of translated primary sources of this period. The book will be of interest to students and scholars of gender studies, history, sociology, lay readers interested in the culture of the colonial period, as well as all informed women readers.

A practical approach to preparation and performance of Hindu Last Rites in North America. Includes a brief traditional ceremony (recommended as a last resort if a qualified priest is not available), with additional readings and prayers for following days. Basic text in English; Sanskrit recitations and quotes in Sanskrit lettering with English transliteration and translation. Prof. Subhash Kak: Dr. A.V. Srinivasan is America's foremost interpreter of Vedic ritual for our generation...Antyeshti provides much inspirational material for comfort and understanding. Prof. Jeff Long: "...not only a 'how-to' guide to the Hindu funerary rites... The list of suggested readings from Hindu scriptures for those who have recently suffered the loss of a loved one is a great resource."