About Book

In the course of millennia of dealing with problems of violence, South Asia has not only elaborated the ideal of total avoidance of violence in a unique manner, it also developed arguments justifying and rationalizing its employment under certain circumstances. Some of these arguments seemingly transform all sorts of ‘violence’ into ‘non-violence’. Historical and cultural aspects of the tensions between violence and its denial and rationalization in South Asia are taken up in the contributions of this volume which deal with topics ranging from the origins of the concept of ahiṃsā , to the iconography and interpretation of a self-beheading goddess, and violent heroines in Ajñeya’s Hindi short stories. Pages: Violence Denied delves into the interplay of violence and non-violence in the cultural history of South Asia, exploring how societies and philosophies in the region have historically rationalized or rejected violence. This collection of essays examines a range of themes, including religious doctrines, ethical frameworks, and historical practices that have shaped the discourse on violence in South Asia. The editors and contributors offer a nuanced understanding of the cultural and philosophical underpinnings of non-violence, as well as the conditions under which violence has been justified or condemned. Geographical Context: South Asia