Among Ms. Shah's many other activities is an attempt to nudge Americans beyond "caste, cow and karma" when viewing Hinduism, and to perceive it as a great antique philosophy rather than merely a pantheon of paranormal deities.
Yet, because the religion has been stereotyped in the West as a polytheistic faith of "castes, cows and curry," they say, most Americans prefer to see yoga as the legacy of a more timeless, spiritual "Indian wisdom".
A master of populist showmanship who came from a caste of cow herders, he transformed his court dates into political theater.
Idol worshipper, cows, caste, dowry, many gods (lower case "g") -- these are the terms that more commonly define Hinduism in Western popular culture.
His name indicates that he may have been a member of the Ahir, or cow-herding caste, in the region of modern Uttar Pradesh.
Is Casting Aside Caste Possible?
Hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets in the western Indian state of Gujarat after an attack on low-caste villagers by cow protection vigilantes.
These vigilante groups have carried out violent attacks on Muslims and, more rarely, low-caste Hindus suspected of slaughtering cows.
Hindu lynch mobs began to pop up across the landscape, killing Muslims and lower-caste people suspected of slaughtering cows, a sacred animal under Hinduism.
These vigilante groups have carried out violent attacks on Muslims and, more recently, low-caste Hindus suspected of slaughtering cows, which are considered sacred in Hinduism.
