Description
Manohar Archaeology of Religion in South Asia Buddhist Brahmanical and Jaina Religious Centres in Bihar and Bengal c AD 600-1200 by Birendra Nath Prasad
In the religious landscape of early medieval (c. AD 600-1200) Bihar and
Bengal, poly religiosity was generally the norm than an exception,
which entailed the evolution of complex patterns of inter-religious
equations. Buddhism, Brahmanism and Jainism not only coexisted but
also competed for social patronage, forcing them to enter into complex
interactions with social institutions and processes. Through an analysis
of the published archaeological data, this work explores some aspects
of the social history of Buddhist, Brahmanical and Jaina temples and
shrines, and Buddhist stopas and monasteries in early medieval Bihar
and Bengal. This archaeological history of religions questions many
'established' textual reconstructions, and enriches our understanding of
the complex issue of the decline of Buddhism in this area.
About the Author
Birendra Nath Prasad is Assistant Professor at the Centre for Historical
Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, where he teaches
social history of religion in India and Southeast Asia. His recent
publications include Monasteries, Shrines and Society: Buddhist and
Brahmanical Religious Institutions in India in their Socio-Economic
Context (edited, Delhi, 2011); Rethinking Bihar and Bengal: History,
Culture and Religion (Delhi, 2021); Social History of Indian Buddhism:
New Researches (edited, Delhi, 2021, forthcoming), and many peer-
reviewed research articles in prestigious international journals such as
Journal of the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies (Oxford), Buddhist
Studies Review (London), Religions of South Asia (London/Sheffield)
and Berlin Indological Studies.