Images of Hinduism and Hindu deities have been integrated into our collective imagination as part of American popular culture. From the cover of Jimi Hendrix’s Axis: Bold as Love, photos of the Beatles seated alongside Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the goddess on the cover of the first issue of Gloria Steinem’s Ms. magazine, or even Ganesha on the counter of Kwik-e Mart on The Simpsons, most Americans have a vague idea about the appearance of Hindu gods and goddesses. In this course we will push beyond the layer of popular allusions to Hindu deities to take a deeper look into the mythology that undergirds the tradition. We will explore traditional Hindu narratives found in the Vedas, epics, and later encyclopedic mythological (puranic) literature. Along the way we will also look more closely at the religious beliefs and practices that shape and are shaped by these myths.

Registration will open online on Monday, November 23, 2020 at 8 AM (AZ Time)

• Classes will be delivered online via the Zoom video conferencing platform. Course will be password protected and only available to enrolled students.
• All class sessions will be recorded and made available to enrolled students for a limited time to assist those who may not be able to attend the live class times.
• Enrolled students may withdraw from a course and receive a tuition refund if the request is received before the second class session.