Brill’s Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Volume V: Religious Symbols, Hinduism and Migration, Contemporary Communities outside South Asia, Some Modern Religious Groups and Teachers

I have been working my way through this enormous series at a rate of roughly one volume a year from 2010 onwards: Vol. I (RR 2010/201), Vol. II (RR 2011/250), Vol. III (RR 2012/153) and Vol. IV (RR 2013/128). I assume, therefore, that the final volume will appear in anything up to a year’s time, and that I will then be able to write a wrap-up review summarising the entire work.

This latest massive volume contains, first, a string of lengthy essays on various religious emblems, symbols and artefacts, from Aksamala beads to wreaths, via conch...