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The Graceful Guru: Hindu Female Gurus in India and the United States. Edited by KAREN PECHILIS. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. xi, 260 pp. $74.00 (cloth); $24.95 (paper).
The figure of the guru has shown itself to be one of the most enigmatic features of the Hindu religious world, especially when it is removed from its original South Asian context. Even as scholars and devotees have grappled with the particular issues surrounding the phenomenon of the role and identity of the guru figure, another important contribution enters the discussion in the form of this important volume, which focuses solely on female gurus. Having grown out of a session at the meetings of the American Academy of Religion, The Graceful Guru: Hindu Female Gurus in India and the United States addresses an interest among scholars, as well as devotees, that not only is current but also reflects a new direction in the configuration of many religious communities in India and abroad.
This volume, masterfully edited by Karen Pechilis, puts forward separate studies of ten female gurus. Pechilis's introduction establishes the parameters of the work with both historical background and critical theory as it addresses a religious phenomenon that crosses cultural and ethnic boundaries. The afterword, by Kathleen Erndl, takes up these issues again and provides further strategies for analysis. Part of what makes this volume so compelling is that each chapter presents a rich history and critical study so as to provide information on each figure independently. The authors frequently refer to each other's contributions, addressing similar themes and critical issues; in so doing, they have made this book much more than the sum of its parts.
Each essay presents historical and/or biographical information gleaned from a...