by Nalini Rao (Author)

This study analyzes the role of asceticism, icons, and the guru in South India. Tracing the development of Hindu monastic orders, the author analyzes the growth of these institutions from educational establishments to centers of traditional socio-religious authority, centering her argument on the phenomenon of guru whole-body relics.

Author Biography

Nalini Rao is professor of world art at Soka University of America.