The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual - Revision history

SheenaBayles: quick update

2026-02-14T23:18:33Z

quick update

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:48, 15 February 2026
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	'''''The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual: Temples and the Establishment of the Gods''''' is an [[archaeology\|archaeological]] study focusing on the early development of [[Hinduism]] within the [[Gupta Empire]] between the 4th and 6th centuries CE. ~~Written~~ by the British archaeologist [[Michael D. Willis]], curator of the South Asian and Himalayan collection at the [[British Museum]]~~, it was~~ published by [[Cambridge University Press]] in 2009.		'''''The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual: Temples and the Establishment of the Gods''''' is an [[archaeology\|archaeological]] study focusing on the early development of [[Hinduism]] within the [[Gupta Empire]] between the 4th and 6th centuries CE. It was written by the British archaeologist [[Michael D. Willis]] who was the curator of the South Asian and Himalayan collection at the [[British Museum]] at the time of the book being published by [[Cambridge University Press]] in 2009.

	~~The~~ first major archaeological study to deal with the origins of Hinduism, ''The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual'' takes an interdisciplinary approach to the subject, making use of epigraphy, iconology and ethnography. The first chapter, "The Archaeology and Politics of Time at Udayagiri", pays particular attention to the ritual site at the [[Udayagiri Caves]] in [[Madhya Pradesh]]. The second, "Establishment of the Gods", looks at the development of temples and ''[[Puja (Hinduism)\|puja]]'' in India.		Considered to be the first major archaeological study to deal with the origins of Hinduism, ''The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual'' takes an interdisciplinary approach to the subject, making use of epigraphy, iconology and ethnography.{{cn\|date=May 2024}} The first chapter, "The Archaeology and Politics of Time at Udayagiri", pays particular attention to the ritual site at the [[Udayagiri Caves]] in [[Madhya Pradesh]]. The second, "Establishment of the Gods", looks at the development of temples and ''[[Puja (Hinduism)\|puja]]'' in India.

	Willis' book was positively reviewed in various [[peer review]]ed academic journals, such as ''South Asian Studies'' and the ''[[Religious Studies Review]]'', as well as in popular Indian newspaper ''[[The Hindu]]''. Critics described it as a groundbreaking study and praised its use of a variety of different forms of evidence, but some argued that it neglected to properly discuss the relationship between Hindu ~~ritual~~ and the religious practices of [[Buddhism\|Buddhist]] and [[Jainism\|Jainist]] communities in Gupta India.		Willis' book was positively reviewed in various [[peer review]]ed academic journals, such as ''South Asian Studies'' and the ''[[Religious Studies Review]]'', as well as in popular Indian newspaper ''[[The Hindu]]''. Critics described it as a groundbreaking study and praised its use of a variety of different forms of evidence, but some argued that it neglected to properly discuss the relationship between Hindu rituals and the religious practices of [[Buddhism\|Buddhist]] and [[Jainism\|Jainist]] communities in [[Gupta Empire\|Gupta India]].

	==Background==		==Background of the author==
	[[File:BrMus India.JPG\|left\|thumb\|150px\|Willis is the curator of the British Museum's South Asia collection (pictured).]]		[[File:BrMus India.JPG\|left\|thumb\|150px\|Willis is the curator of the British Museum's South Asia collection (pictured).]]
	Willis was born in [[Vancouver, British Columbia]], Canada, and raised in [[Kuwait]] and [[Saudi Arabia]]~~, before taking his~~ B.A. degree at the [[University of Victoria]] where he studied with [[Siri Gunasinghe]] and [[Alan Gowans]]. ~~Travelling~~ to the [[University of Chicago]], he studied with [[J. A. B. van Buitenen]] and Pramod Chandra~~, receiving~~ his doctoral degree in 1988 after periods in India and [[Cyprus]]. He taught at [[SUNY New Paltz]] before joining the British Museum in 1994.		Willis was born in [[Vancouver, British Columbia]], Canada, and raised in [[Kuwait]] and [[Saudi Arabia]]. He obtained a B.A. degree at the [[University of Victoria]] where he studied with [[Siri Gunasinghe]] and [[Alan Gowans]]. He then travelled to the [[University of Chicago]] and he studied with [[J. A. B. van Buitenen]] and Pramod Chandra. He received his doctoral degree in 1988 after periods in India and [[Cyprus]]. He taught at [[SUNY New Paltz]] before joining the British Museum in 1994.

	A Fellow of the [[Royal Asiatic Society]] and an Honorary Research Fellow at [[Cardiff University]]~~, at~~ the time of the book's publication, Willis was the curator of the early South Asian and Himalayan collections at the [[British Museum]] in central London.		Willis is a Fellow of the [[Royal Asiatic Society]] and an Honorary Research Fellow at [[Cardiff University]]. At the time of the book's publication, Willis was the curator of the early South Asian and Himalayan collections at the [[British Museum]] in [[central London]].

	Willis had previously published ~~several~~ [[academic papers]] on the subject of early Hindu ritual and the Udayagiri Caves, including a paper entitled "The Archaeology and Politics of Time" in an anthology entitled ''The Vākāṭaka Heritage: Indian Culture at the Crossroads'' (2004), edited by Hans T. Bakker.<ref>[[#Wil04\|Willis 2004]].</ref>		Willis had previously published [[academic papers]] on the subject of early Hindu ritual and the Udayagiri Caves, including a paper entitled "The Archaeology and Politics of Time" in an anthology entitled ''The Vākāṭaka Heritage: Indian Culture at the Crossroads'' (2004), edited by Hans T. Bakker.<ref>[[#Wil04\|Willis 2004]].</ref>

	==Synopsis==		==Synopsis==
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	}}		}}

	~~Willis opens the~~ book with a discussion of the early Hindu ritual site at the Udayagiri Caves, a place that had ancient origins but which was reworked under the administration of the Gupta Emperor [[Candragupta II]]. ~~He highlights the~~ relationship that Candragupta II had with the ~~Hindu god~~ [[Vishnu\|Viṣṇu]] before moving on to a discussion of his methodology. ~~Noting that he takes~~ an interdisciplinary approach that combines archaeological and historical evidence~~, he~~ critiques earlier text-based historical approaches to studying the development of early Hinduism ~~before returning~~ to ~~a discussion of~~ Udayagiri. Willis closes ~~his~~ introduction by reiterating his belief that in Indian history, it was religion that drove economic and political relationships rather than the other way round.<ref>[[#Wil09\|Willis 2009]]. pp. 1–10.</ref>		The book begins with a discussion of the early Hindu ritual site at the Udayagiri Caves, a place that had ancient origins but which was reworked under the administration of the Gupta Emperor [[Candragupta II]]. The relationship that Candragupta II had with the [[Vishnu\|Hindu god Viṣṇu]] is highlighted before moving on to a discussion of his methodology. The author mentions an interdisciplinary approach was used that combines archaeological and historical evidence and critiques earlier text-based historical approaches to studying the development of early Hinduism. The discussion then returns to Udayagiri. Willis closes the introduction by reiterating his belief that in Indian history, it was religion that drove economic and political relationships rather than the other way round.<ref>[[#Wil09\|Willis 2009]]. pp. 1–10.</ref>

	Chapter one, "The Archaeology and Politics of Time at Udayagiri", goes into ~~greater~~ depth regarding the archaeological site at the Udayagiri Caves~~, highlighting~~ the fact that it served as a centre for "imperial ritual" during the Gupta period. ~~Willis~~ begins by describing the central ridge and passage at the site, before offering a synopsis of astronomical phenomenon and how it pertained to the Udayagiri site. ~~He then discusses~~ various sculptures at the site, such as that of [[Narasiṃha]] and of [[Varāha]], two avatars of Viṣṇu.<ref>[[#Wil09\|Willis 2009]]. pp. 10–78.</ref>		Chapter one, "The Archaeology and Politics of Time at [[Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves\|Udayagiri]]", goes into depth regarding the archaeological site at the Udayagiri Caves and highlights the fact that it served as a centre for "imperial ritual" during the Gupta period. The author begins by describing the central ridge and passage at the site, before offering a synopsis of astronomical phenomenon and how it pertained to the Udayagiri site. Next discussed are various sculptures at the site, such as that of [[Narasiṃha]] and of [[Varāha]], two avatars of Viṣṇu.<ref>[[#Wil09\|Willis 2009]]. pp. 10–78.</ref>

	[[File:Varahavtar Panel.jpg\|thumb\|right\|Cave 5 at Udayagiri, depicting the god [[Vishnu]] as [[Varaha]] [[Avatar]].]]		[[File:Varahavtar Panel.jpg\|thumb\|right\|Cave 5 at Udayagiri, depicting the god [[Vishnu]] as [[Varaha]] [[Avatar]].]]
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	John E. Cort of [[Denison University]], Ohio reviewed the book for the ''[[Religious Studies Review]]''. Describing the "densely argued" book, Cort noted that in ignoring Jain and Buddhist iconography and temples, Willis had failed to encompass the same scope which he professes. Ultimately, Cort considered it to be an "essential" study for all of those interested in "medieval Indic temple religion."<ref>[[#Cor10\|Cort 2010]].</ref>		John E. Cort of [[Denison University]], Ohio reviewed the book for the ''[[Religious Studies Review]]''. Describing the "densely argued" book, Cort noted that in ignoring Jain and Buddhist iconography and temples, Willis had failed to encompass the same scope which he professes. Ultimately, Cort considered it to be an "essential" study for all of those interested in "medieval Indic temple religion."<ref>[[#Cor10\|Cort 2010]].</ref>

	In a review published in the ''Durham Anthropological Review'', Vittorio Magnano of [[Durham University]], North East England stated that Willis had provided a "meticulous analysis" of the available evidence in producing his study, ultimately describing it as "inspiring reading". Believing that Willis had followed a "line of reasoning with determination", he noted that his study still left room for the reader to come to their own decisions on certain issues. Concluding his review, Magnano recommended it to anyone with either an interest in Hindu ritual or in interdisciplinary research.<ref>[[#Mag12\|Magnano 2012]].</ref>		In a review published in the ''Durham Anthropological Review'', Vittorio Magnano of [[Durham University]], North East England stated that Willis had provided a "meticulous analysis" of the available evidence in producing his study, ultimately describing it as "inspiring reading". Believing that Willis had followed a "line of reasoning with determination", he noted that his study still left room for the reader to come to their own decisions on certain issues. Concluding his review, Magnano recommended it to anyone with either an interest in Hindu ritual or interdisciplinary research.<ref>[[#Mag12\|Magnano 2012]].</ref>

	===Press reviews===		===Press reviews===
	~~Willis'~~ book was reviewed ~~by journalist T. Satyamurthy~~ in ~~one of India's largest newspapers,~~ ''[[The Hindu]]''~~. In~~ an article entitled "Epigraphical study on Hindu rites", Satyamurthy remarked that Willis' scholarship "stands out brilliantly" throughout the text, arguing that on the whole the book represents a "very erudite work". Believing works of this quality were rare, Satyamurthy praised the use of references and footnotes and the "new treatment" of the textual and epigraphic records.<ref>[[#Sayt10\|Satyamurthy 2010]].</ref>		The book was reviewed in ''[[The Hindu]]'' in an article entitled "[https://www.thehindu.com/books/Epigraphical-study-on-Hindu-rites/article16550191.ece Epigraphical study on Hindu rites]" by a journalist T. Satyamurthy. Satyamurthy remarked that Willis' scholarship "stands out brilliantly" throughout the text, arguing that on the whole the book represents a "very erudite work". Believing works of this quality were rare, Satyamurthy praised the use of references and footnotes and the "new treatment" of the textual and epigraphic records.<ref>[[#Sayt10\|Satyamurthy 2010]].</ref>

	==See also ==		==See also ==
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	===Bibliography===		===Bibliography===
	{{refbegin}}		{{refbegin}}
	* {{Cite ~~news~~\|title=Review of ''The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual'' \|last=Cort \|first=John E. \|year=2010 \|journal=Religious Studies Review \|volume=38 \|issue=3 \|location=Hoboken \|publisher=Wiley-Blackwell \|pages=243 \|ref=Cor10\|doi=10.1111/j.1748-0922.2010.01454_6.x }}		* {{Cite journal\|title=Review of ''The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual'' \|last=Cort \|first=John E. \|year=2010 \|journal=Religious Studies Review \|volume=38 \|issue=3 \|location=Hoboken \|publisher=Wiley-Blackwell \|pages=243 \|ref=Cor10\|doi=10.1111/j.1748-0922.2010.01454_6.x }}
	* {{Cite news\|title=Review of ''The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual'' \|last=Magnano \|first=Vittorio \|year=2012 \|url=http://www.dur.ac.uk/anthropology.journal/vol18/iss1/magnano2012.pdf \|journal=Durham Anthropology Journal \|volume=18 \|issue=1 \|location=Durham \|publisher=Durham University \|pages=219–221 \|ref=Maa12}}		* {{Cite news\|title=Review of ''The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual'' \|last=Magnano \|first=Vittorio \|year=2012 \|url=http://www.dur.ac.uk/anthropology.journal/vol18/iss1/magnano2012.pdf \|journal=Durham Anthropology Journal \|volume=18 \|issue=1 \|location=Durham \|publisher=Durham University \|pages=219–221 \|ref=Maa12}}
	* {{Cite ~~news~~\|title=Review of ''The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual'' \|last=Orr \|first=Leslie C. \|year=2010 \|journal=South Asian Studies \|volume=26 \|issue=2 \|pages=238–242 \|ref=Orr10\|doi=10.1080/02666030.2010.517922 }}		* {{Cite journal\|title=Review of ''The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual'' \|last=Orr \|first=Leslie C. \|year=2010 \|journal=South Asian Studies \|volume=26 \|issue=2 \|pages=238–242 \|ref=Orr10\|doi=10.1080/02666030.2010.517922 \|s2cid=193885302 \|url=https://zenodo.org/record/5643948 }}
	* {{Cite news\|title=Epigraphical study on Hindu rites \|last=Satyamurthy \|first=T. \|date=9 March 2010 \|url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/books/article223009.ece \|journal=[[The Hindu]] \|location=Chennai \|publisher=The Hindu Group \|ref=Sat10}}		* {{Cite news\|title=Epigraphical study on Hindu rites \|last=Satyamurthy \|first=T. \|date=9 March 2010 \|url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/books/article223009.ece \|journal=[[The Hindu]] \|location=Chennai \|publisher=The Hindu Group \|ref=Sat10}}
	* {{Cite news\|title=The Archaeology and Politics of Time \|last=Willis \|first=Michael \|year=2004 \|journal=The Vākāṭaka Heritage: Indian Culture at the Crossroads \|publisher=Egbert Forsten \|location=Groningen \|isbn=90-6980-148-5 \|pages=33–58 \|ref=Wil04}}		* {{Cite news\|title=The Archaeology and Politics of Time \|last=Willis \|first=Michael \|year=2004 \|journal=The Vākāṭaka Heritage: Indian Culture at the Crossroads \|publisher=Egbert Forsten \|location=Groningen \|isbn=90-6980-148-5 \|pages=33–58 \|ref=Wil04}}
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	{{DEFAULTSORT:Archaeology of Hindu Ritual}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Archaeology of Hindu Ritual}}
	[[Category:2009 non-fiction books]]		[[Category:2009 non-fiction books]]
	[[Category:~~Academic studies of ritual and~~ magic]]		[[Category:Books about magic (supernatural)]]
	[[Category:Archaeology books]]		[[Category:Archaeology books]]
	[[Category:Cambridge University Press books]]		[[Category:Cambridge University Press books]]
			[[Category:Books about Hinduism]]

>BritishProfessor at 17:32, 6 February 2021

2021-02-06T17:32:53Z

New page

{{short description|Book by Michael D. Willis}}
{{Infobox book
| name = The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual: Temples and the Establishment of the Gods
| image = Archaeology of Hindu Ritual.jpg
| caption = The cover of the book, depicting a Vaisnava head from Bhitrī, [[Uttar Pradesh]], now in the British Museum, London. Jacket designed by Alice Soloway.
| author = [[Michael D. Willis]]
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| subject = Hindu archaeology,<br>Indian archaeology
| publisher = Cambridge University Press
| release_date = 2009
| media_type = Print ([[Hardcover]])
| pages = 375
| isbn = 978-0521518741
| oclc =
}}
'''''The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual: Temples and the Establishment of the Gods''''' is an [[archaeology|archaeological]] study focusing on the early development of [[Hinduism]] within the [[Gupta Empire]] between the 4th and 6th centuries CE. Written by the British archaeologist [[Michael D. Willis]], curator of the South Asian and Himalayan collection at the [[British Museum]], it was published by [[Cambridge University Press]] in 2009.

The first major archaeological study to deal with the origins of Hinduism, ''The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual'' takes an interdisciplinary approach to the subject, making use of epigraphy, iconology and ethnography. The first chapter, "The Archaeology and Politics of Time at Udayagiri", pays particular attention to the ritual site at the [[Udayagiri Caves]] in [[Madhya Pradesh]]. The second, "Establishment of the Gods", looks at the development of temples and ''[[Puja (Hinduism)|puja]]'' in India.

Willis' book was positively reviewed in various [[peer review]]ed academic journals, such as ''South Asian Studies'' and the ''[[Religious Studies Review]]'', as well as in popular Indian newspaper ''[[The Hindu]]''. Critics described it as a groundbreaking study and praised its use of a variety of different forms of evidence, but some argued that it neglected to properly discuss the relationship between Hindu ritual and the religious practices of [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] and [[Jainism|Jainist]] communities in Gupta India.

==Background==
[[File:BrMus India.JPG|left|thumb|150px|Willis is the curator of the British Museum's South Asia collection (pictured).]]
Willis was born in [[Vancouver, British Columbia]], Canada, and raised in [[Kuwait]] and [[Saudi Arabia]], before taking his B.A. degree at the [[University of Victoria]] where he studied with [[Siri Gunasinghe]] and [[Alan Gowans]]. Travelling to the [[University of Chicago]], he studied with [[J. A. B. van Buitenen]] and Pramod Chandra, receiving his doctoral degree in 1988 after periods in India and [[Cyprus]]. He taught at [[SUNY New Paltz]] before joining the British Museum in 1994.

A Fellow of the [[Royal Asiatic Society]] and an Honorary Research Fellow at [[Cardiff University]], at the time of the book's publication, Willis was the curator of the early South Asian and Himalayan collections at the [[British Museum]] in central London.

Willis had previously published several [[academic papers]] on the subject of early Hindu ritual and the Udayagiri Caves, including a paper entitled "The Archaeology and Politics of Time" in an anthology entitled ''The Vākāṭaka Heritage: Indian Culture at the Crossroads'' (2004), edited by Hans T. Bakker.<ref>[[#Wil04|Willis 2004]].</ref>

==Synopsis==
{{Expand section|date=April 2012}}

{{Quote box
|width = 30em
|border = 1px
|align = left
|bgcolor = #ACE1AF
|fontsize = 85%
|title_bg =
|title_fnt =
|title =
|quote = "I was obliged to draw on a number of fields: epigraphy, iconology, historical astronomy, ethnography, landscape archaeology. I combined these with text-based [[Indology]] and [[religious studies]]. This approach – eclectic but not, I hope, eccentric – led me to breach disciplinary protocols and to create what I have termed the "archaeology of ritual." Whatever theoretical bells these words might ring, this is not a project in the tradition of [[Michel Foucault]] or [[Ian Hodder]]. Rather, it represents my own effort to inject a measure of dynamism into the static, desk-bound forms of analysis that have so far governed the study of Indian inscriptions, sculpture, built environment, and landscape."
|salign = right
|source = Michael Willis, 2009.<ref>[[#Wil09|Willis 2009]]. p. 3.</ref>
}}

Willis opens the book with a discussion of the early Hindu ritual site at the Udayagiri Caves, a place that had ancient origins but which was reworked under the administration of the Gupta Emperor [[Candragupta II]]. He highlights the relationship that Candragupta II had with the Hindu god [[Vishnu|Viṣṇu]] before moving on to a discussion of his methodology. Noting that he takes an interdisciplinary approach that combines archaeological and historical evidence, he critiques earlier text-based historical approaches to studying the development of early Hinduism before returning to a discussion of Udayagiri. Willis closes his introduction by reiterating his belief that in Indian history, it was religion that drove economic and political relationships rather than the other way round.<ref>[[#Wil09|Willis 2009]]. pp. 1–10.</ref>

Chapter one, "The Archaeology and Politics of Time at Udayagiri", goes into greater depth regarding the archaeological site at the Udayagiri Caves, highlighting the fact that it served as a centre for "imperial ritual" during the Gupta period. Willis begins by describing the central ridge and passage at the site, before offering a synopsis of astronomical phenomenon and how it pertained to the Udayagiri site. He then discusses various sculptures at the site, such as that of [[Narasiṃha]] and of [[Varāha]], two avatars of Viṣṇu.<ref>[[#Wil09|Willis 2009]]. pp. 10–78.</ref>

[[File:Varahavtar Panel.jpg|thumb|right|Cave 5 at Udayagiri, depicting the god [[Vishnu]] as [[Varaha]] [[Avatar]].]]

The second chapter, entitled "The Establishment of the Gods",

Chapter three, "Ritual Action and Ritual Actors",

==Arguments==
{{Expand section|date=April 2012}}

==Reception==

===Academic reviews===
{{Quote box
|width = 30em
|border = 1px
|align = right
|bgcolor = #ACE1AF
|fontsize = 85%
|title_bg =
|title_fnt =
|title =
|quote = "The success of his book – inspiring, important, challenging, and at times maddening – lies in its undoubted ability to stimulate discussion, to make us revisit received ideas and to review the primary sources for ourselves. And for this we are indeed indebted to Michael Willis."
|salign = right
|source = Leslie C. Orr, 2010.<ref name="Orr 2010">[[#Orr10|Orr 2010]].</ref>
}}

''The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual'' was positively reviewed by Leslie C. Orr of [[Concordia University]], Montreal in the journal ''South Asian Studies''. Describing it as "extraordinarily ambitious and exciting", she did however take issue with some of Willis' statements, believing them to be erroneous. In particular, she argues that Willis has painted an incorrect picture with regards to the relationship between Hinduism and the heterodox Jain and Buddhist faiths, neglecting to refer to the many similarities between them. She also takes issue with Willis' trend to pick fights with "[[straw men]]", opining that these criticisms of his "seem out of place in a book of such grand scope and reach."<ref name="Orr 2010"/>

John E. Cort of [[Denison University]], Ohio reviewed the book for the ''[[Religious Studies Review]]''. Describing the "densely argued" book, Cort noted that in ignoring Jain and Buddhist iconography and temples, Willis had failed to encompass the same scope which he professes. Ultimately, Cort considered it to be an "essential" study for all of those interested in "medieval Indic temple religion."<ref>[[#Cor10|Cort 2010]].</ref>

In a review published in the ''Durham Anthropological Review'', Vittorio Magnano of [[Durham University]], North East England stated that Willis had provided a "meticulous analysis" of the available evidence in producing his study, ultimately describing it as "inspiring reading". Believing that Willis had followed a "line of reasoning with determination", he noted that his study still left room for the reader to come to their own decisions on certain issues. Concluding his review, Magnano recommended it to anyone with either an interest in Hindu ritual or in interdisciplinary research.<ref>[[#Mag12|Magnano 2012]].</ref>

===Press reviews===
Willis' book was reviewed by journalist T. Satyamurthy in one of India's largest newspapers, ''[[The Hindu]]''. In an article entitled "Epigraphical study on Hindu rites", Satyamurthy remarked that Willis' scholarship "stands out brilliantly" throughout the text, arguing that on the whole the book represents a "very erudite work". Believing works of this quality were rare, Satyamurthy praised the use of references and footnotes and the "new treatment" of the textual and epigraphic records.<ref>[[#Sayt10|Satyamurthy 2010]].</ref>

==See also ==
{{portal | Hinduism}}
{{div col |colwidth=12em}}
* [[Añjali Mudrā]]
* [[Buddhist prayer beads]]
* [[Coconut#Role in culture and religion|Coconut: use for worship]]
* [[Culture of India]]
* [[Dhupa]]
* [[Guru-shishya tradition]]
* [[Hindu prayer beads]]
* [[Hindu temple]]
* [[Indian honorifics]]
* [[Garland|Mala]]
* [[List of Hindu festivals]], many of which involve Puja
* [[Mudras]]
* [[Namaste]]
* [[Panchalinga Darshana]]
* [[Pranāma]]
* [[Puja (Buddhism)]]
* [[Puja (Hinduism)]]
* [[Pādodaka]]
* [[Satyanarayan Puja]]
{{div col end}}

==References==

===Footnotes===
{{reflist|20em}}

===Bibliography===
{{refbegin}}
* {{Cite news|title=Review of ''The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual'' |last=Cort |first=John E. |year=2010 |journal=Religious Studies Review |volume=38 |issue=3 |location=Hoboken |publisher=Wiley-Blackwell |pages=243 |ref=Cor10|doi=10.1111/j.1748-0922.2010.01454_6.x }}
* {{Cite news|title=Review of ''The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual'' |last=Magnano |first=Vittorio |year=2012 |url=http://www.dur.ac.uk/anthropology.journal/vol18/iss1/magnano2012.pdf |journal=Durham Anthropology Journal |volume=18 |issue=1 |location=Durham |publisher=Durham University |pages=219–221 |ref=Maa12}}
* {{Cite news|title=Review of ''The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual'' |last=Orr |first=Leslie C. |year=2010 |journal=South Asian Studies |volume=26 |issue=2 |pages=238–242 |ref=Orr10|doi=10.1080/02666030.2010.517922 }}
* {{Cite news|title=Epigraphical study on Hindu rites |last=Satyamurthy |first=T. |date=9 March 2010 |url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/books/article223009.ece |journal=[[The Hindu]] |location=Chennai |publisher=The Hindu Group |ref=Sat10}}
* {{Cite news|title=The Archaeology and Politics of Time |last=Willis |first=Michael |year=2004 |journal=The Vākāṭaka Heritage: Indian Culture at the Crossroads |publisher=Egbert Forsten |location=Groningen |isbn=90-6980-148-5 |pages=33–58 |ref=Wil04}}
* {{cite book |title= The Archaeology of Hindu Ritual |last=Willis |first=Michael |year=2009 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge and New York |isbn=978-0521518741 |ref=Wil09}}
{{refend}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Archaeology of Hindu Ritual}}
[[Category:2009 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:Academic studies of ritual and magic]]
[[Category:Archaeology books]]
[[Category:Cambridge University Press books]]