Traditions
Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, Smartism and the bhakti movements.
- VaishnavismVaishnavism, the largest Hindu tradition: worship of Vishnu and his avatars Krishna and Rama, its main schools, practices, scriptures and sacred places.
- ShaivismShaivism, the tradition devoted to Shiva: its beliefs, its schools from Shaiva Siddhanta to Kashmir Shaivism, the Tamil Nayanars, its practices and sacred places.
- ShaktismShaktism, the Hindu tradition that worships the Goddess as the supreme power: its beliefs, scriptures, schools, practices, festivals and sacred places.
- SmartismThe Smarta tradition of Hinduism: worship of five deities as forms of the one Brahman, the panchayatana puja, its link with Adi Shankara and Advaita, and its influence on modern Hinduism.
- The Bhakti MovementHow the bhakti movement of devotional poet-saints transformed Hinduism, from the Tamil Alvars and Nayanars to Kabir, Mirabai, Tulsidas and Chaitanya.
- ISKCON and Gaudiya VaishnavismThe International Society for Krishna Consciousness (the Hare Krishna movement): its roots in Chaitanya's Gaudiya Vaishnavism, its founder Prabhupada, its beliefs and practices, and its presence in Britain.