Reading Against the Orientalist Grain
Performance and Politics Entwined with a Buddhist Strain
Syed Jamil Ahmed
357 pages | ~10 hrs
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Learn MoreReading Against the Orientalist Grain
Performance and Politics Entwined with a Buddhist Strain
By Syed Jamil Ahmed
In this thought-provoking exploration, Syed Jamil Ahmed invites readers on a journey that challenges conventional Western perspectives on Eastern spiritual traditions. Writing from his post-colonial vantage point, Ahmed deliberately works "against the grain" of orientalist interpretations, much like a craftsman who planes wood in the opposite direction to reveal hidden textures beneath the surface.
The book examines eight distinct Buddhist performance traditions spanning across South and Southeast Asia, from Nepal's sacred Caryā Nṛtya dance to Bangladesh's devotional Bauddha Kīrtan chanting. Each performance represents a living thread in the rich tapestry of Theravāda and Vajrayāna Buddhism, offering readers glimpses into how spiritual practice manifests through ritual, movement, and community celebration.
Ahmed approaches these traditions not as exotic spectacles for Western consumption, but as complex networks of meaning that deserve careful, respectful analysis. His methodology reveals how Buddhist concepts of transience and impermanence permeate these cultural expressions, while simultaneously questioning how such performances have been represented and sometimes misrepresented in academic and popular discourse.
For readers interested in authentic spiritual inquiry, this work offers a refreshing perspective that honors both scholarly rigor and personal spiritual experience. Ahmed's self-questioning approach encourages readers to examine their own assumptions about Eastern wisdom traditions while deepening their understanding of Buddhism's diverse cultural manifestations across different societies.
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Religious aspects
- ✓ Explore Rituals
- ✓ Explore Dance
- ✓ Understand Buddhist philosophy and practice
- ✓ Understand Hindu philosophy and traditions
- ✓ Explore Religious dance
- ✓ Explore Buddhist dance
Topics
Details
- Published
- 2008
- Publisher
- Anderson India
- ISBN-13
- 9788190671903
- ISBN-10
- 8190671901
- Pages
- 357
- Language
- EN
