‘Sanskrit-speaking’ Villages, Linguistic Utopias and the Metaphysics of Development

Patrick S.D. McCartney, who received his PhD in sociolinguistic and cultural economic anthropology from the Australian National University in 2016, is trained in a range of disciplines, including Indo-European linguistics, Indology, archaeology and cultural heritage management. His research has evolved to incorporate methods from computational social science and geospatial data visualisation. Patrick uses yoga and Sanskrit as frameworks to analyse the political ambitions and soft-power dynamics of the Indian state, as well as the influence of non-state actors in the global wellness tourism industry.

• Contents List of Figures List of Tables Preface Acknowledgements Fundings Primary Texts Mentioned A Brief Outline of this Book Part 1. Journeying into the Vedic Chapter 1. En Route Chapter 2. The Eternal Aspiration Chapter 3. The Myth and Making of the ‘Vedic’ Chapter 4. Exploring the Concept of a ‘Vedic Village’ Part 2: Imagining Sanskritic Futures Chapter 5. Using One’s Imagination Chapter 6. Indian Knowledge Systems and Transformational Narratives Chapter 7. Sanskrit’s Faith-based Development Narratives Part 3. The Sociolinguistics of Sanskritland Chapter 8. Spoken Sanskrit’s Revivalism Chapter 9. Sanskritic Sociolinguistics Chapter 10. The Complex Landscape of Sanskrit Revival Part 4: Sanskrit and the Census Chapter 11. Visualising Sanskrit’s Census Tokens Chapter 12. Analysis and Mapping of Sanskritland Conclusion: Homeward Bound Index

'Bridges persistent gaps between philology, history and ethnography that have plagued Indology. Through an empirical study of so-called "Vedic" villages, the spoken Sanskrit movement, and transnational wellness discourses around Yoga and Ayurveda, the author draws our attention to the sociolinguistics, as it were, of an imaginary place called "Sanskritland". Given the growing symbolic significance of Sanskrit to the construction of a Hindu Rashtra, a space permeated by what policy parlance names "Indian Knowledge Systems", this book appears not a moment too soon.'Ananya Vajpeyi, Professor, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, New Delhi'Imagining Sanskritland is a masterful exploration of the making of a linguistic utopia, chiefly as an ideological project that has been shaped by the troubles and travails of Hindutva. By putting contemporary Indian populist nationalism in the spotlight, the many claims of "Sanskrit-speaking" for authenticity, morality and civilizational pride are traced and studied within narratives about the wellness industry, consumerism, sustainable development and ecological harmony. In helping us understand the many gaps and disconnects between the ideal worlds of Sanskrit revivalism and the realities of the everyday, McCartney has made a significant and stellar contribution to the study of cultural politics in the age of contemporary populism.' Rohan D'Souza, Professor, ASAFAS, Kyoto University. 'McCartney weaves decades of painstaking interdisciplinary research into this close study of contemporary Sanskrit revival. Integrating anthropological theory, archival research, Sanskrit studies, sociolinguistics, census data, and careful fieldwork, his travels in Sanskrit-speaking villages in India paint a compelling picture of the role of language ideology in a time of profound social change. This study will do what all powerful studies should do: question assumptions, topple cultural icons, and create debate. The depth and breadth of intellectual resources that McCartney brings to the topic make it a key resource for anyone interested in the role of tradition in contemporary India.'Laurie L. Patton, Professor of Religion Emerita, Middlebury College