This introductory proficiency-based course in Hindi and Urdu allows students to acquire linguistic skills in culturally authentic contexts. Students will learn to communicate in a variety of everyday situations. Hindi and Urdu share a basic grammar and core vocabulary but differ in terms of scripts and some cultural markers. There will be equal emphasis on both scripts and cultures; parallel written materials will be provided in both scripts. Students are expected to develop proficiency in one script of their choice, and are encouraged to learn both. Classes will be interactive.

This course continues training in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Students will learn to read and understand texts in Hindi on familiar topics, to speak confidently and effectively in a wide range of common situations, to write concise texts expressing their thoughts and views, and to acquire general familiarity with the cultural context in which Hindi is used. Students will engage in interactive and collaborative task-based activities in the classroom.

The course will focus on topics and issues related to literary translation, from Urdu into Hindi, Hindi into Urdu, as well as the translation of Hindi/Urdu literary works into English and from English into Hindi/Urdu. Readings will address issues of theory and practice, as well as selected literary works and their translations. Includes student translation workshops.

An introduction to classical Sanskrit grammar and vocabulary, as well as Devanagari script, pronunciation, and phonological change (sandhi). Students will begin to read simple Sanskrit prose and verse.

Strengthens classical Sanskrit grammar and vocabulary and builds knowledge of South Asian religion and culture through reading selections from Sanskrit Epics and Puranas. Requires SAN102 or permission from the instructor.

This course is a multidisciplinary approach to the field of South Asian Studies with a particular focus on the research of Princeton University faculty. Students will gain and understanding and perspective on the region and how a diverse group of scholars and academic fields explore South Asia including history, literature, culture, politics, and religion. Students will directly engage with primary materials, analyze them within context, develop strong arguments and present their insights in class.

This course will provide an introduction to the study of South Asian languages in relation to culture (and history, society and politics), addressing topics such as orality and writing systems, multilingualism and polyglossia, literary cultures, cosmopolitan and vernacular language politics, and their relationship to social identity in historical and contemporary perspective.

This course is a continuation of HIN-URD 102, concentrating on Urdu. Students beginning with intermediate proficiency in either Urdu or Hindi will be brought to an advanced level in Urdu in all four skills. The Urdu script will be introduced and an emphasis will be placed on strengthening literacy skills. After completing the course, students will be able to read or comprehend through listening, a variety of authentic Urdu texts and media materials. Various aspects of the target culture will be integrated with instruction. Activities will be conducted in Urdu and classes will be interactive.

Love is a deeply personal experience. Yet, powerful social, political, and economic forces determine who we love, when we love, and how we love. Looking at practices of romantic love, dating, sex, marriage, queer love, friendship, and familial love across different social and global contexts, this course explores how social and cultural factors shape our most intimate relationships. Drawing on ethnography, history, and journalism, we examine the intersections between love and technology, gender, race, the law, capitalism, colonialism, and religion. For the final project, students will use creative writing or multi-media to tell a love story.

This course covers the arts of South Asia beginning in the 2nd century BCE. Topics will include the relationship between architecture, sculpture and the religions of the region, networks of court painting, Islamic art and architecture, forms of patronage, and art making and changing ecologies of power in South Asia. Lectures may cover a range of media including painting, calligraphy, architecture, sculpture and prints. Class discussions will focus on formal and material concerns, as well as the religious, historical or political contexts in which these works were produced.

Hinduism is often regarded as one of the world's most ancient living religions, and its oldest scriptures were composed more than 3000 years ago. It may therefore come as a surprise that people did not start calling themselves Hindus until the 19th century. How should we understand the late appearance of this term as a self-referential category, and what does it tell us about religion in South Asia? In this course, we will trace Hinduism's roots from the earliest period up to the 19th century, examining not only continuity in religious thought and practice but also diversity in the traditions that came to form a single Hindu community.