Sonic Theology: Hinduism and Sacred Sound

Traditional Hinduism has appealed to Western eyes through its rich tableau of visual artifacts: temple architecture, sculpture, painting, and craft. Guy Beck argues, however, that the focus of Western scholars on Hinduism's visual component has often been at the expense of the religion's most important feature - its emphasis on sound. Beck addresses this longstanding imbalance in the path breaking study. He contends that sound possess a central place in Hindu theory and practice and that Hinduism is essentially a sonic theology.