Tolerance: absolute value of, 293; in Hin-
duism, 11, 24–25, 245, 266–70, 293; in
liberalism, 294
Tönnies, Ferdinand, 193
Tonsures, 267
Transcendence: in bhaktiHinduism, 203;
of gender, 181
Transnationalism, Hindu, 8, 9
Trilocan (saint), 201
Truth, religious, diversity of, 11
Tulasi (king), 267
Tulsidas: bhaktiof, 15–16; vision of,
128—Ramcharitmanas, 20, 115, 117,
130–31; charitin, 129; models for, 129;
recitation of, 118; structure of, 137n10;
televised version of, 140, 141; transfor-
mation in, 132. See also Manas
Twain, Mark, 44, 47
United States: Divali festival in, 242;
Hindu deities in, 232, 242, 243, 246,
247n6; Hindu diaspora in, 24; Hindu
temples in, 7, 231–47; as karmabhumi
(sacred land), 238; Untouchables in,
- See alsoDiaspora, Hindu
Universities, multicultural, 291
Untouchables, 13, 251; of Banaras,
199–200; bhaktiheritage of, 212; Dal-
its, 200; Gandhi and, 251; Ravidas on,
214n1, 217n30; response to Ravidas,
207, 209; of Sri Govardhanpur, 204–5,
209; in United States, 22
Upaya(incremental learning), 296–97
Upcara(image worship), 37
Uttar Pradesh, Holi festival in, 111n1
Vaishno Devi (pilgrimage site), 161
Vaishyas (artisans), 13
Va isnava: kathatradition in, 149; theol-
ogy, 161
Va isno Devi(goddess), 161
Valmiki (poet), 129–30, 137n11, 140, 141,
153n
Varalaksmi Vrathamrite, 241
Varanasi. SeeBanaras
Va rnas, 13–14. See alsoCaste
Vasudev, Kumar: Ham Log, 144
Vatsalya bhava(parental love), 163
VCRs: impact on Indian culture, 143–44
Vedas: interpretations of, 295; Kabir on,
77; pluralistic knowledge of, 295;
polytheism of, 49; prayers derived
from, 38; ritual of, 12–13
Venkata (hill, South India), 233, 247n3
Venkateswara: accessibility of, 236–37;
presence at Sri Venkateswara temple,
237; Vishnu as, 4, 24, 233. See alsoSri
Venkateswara temple (Penn Hills,
PA); Sri Venkateswara temple (Tiru
Venkatam, Tirupati)
Vijaykar, Mona, 271
Vikram aur Vetal(television serial), 144
Virginity: in marriage, 65–66
Vishnu: four-armed form of, 42; goddess
affiliations of, 161; incarnations of,
174, 233, 252; mudrasof, 51; as Ram,
91; in Ramlilasof Ramnagar, 128–29;
sadhubelief in, 77; supremacy of, 49;
in televised Ramayana, 145, 151; tri-
umphant, 108; as Venkateswara, 4, 24,
233; worshippers of, 40–41
Vishvamitra (sage), 121, 122, 145
Vishvanathan, Rupa, 179
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), 25,
29n16; and Babri Mosque controversy,
258, 259
Visnu. SeeVishnu
Visnu Purana, 108
Vifvanath: darfanof, 76; temple of, 79, 80
Vivekananda, Swami, 77
Vraja. SeeBraj
Vrata(vow), 16, 243
Vrindaban: Brahmins of, 57, 59; Holi fes-
tival at, 103; Jaising Ghera compound
at, 55–59; kadambatree at, 54, 55;
Krishna shrine at, 53–59