This study of the Bengali Kartabhaja sect and its place in the broader movement of Tantrism, an Indian religious movement employing purposely shocking sexual language and rituals, looks at the relationship between the rise of the Kartabhajas and the changing economic context of colonial Bengal.

A Note (or Apology) on Transliteration Abbreviations Introduction: Secrecy and Symbolic Power I. The Secret Marketplace: Historical Origins and Socioeconomic Contexts 1: The Underworld of the Imperial City: The Religious, Social, Economic Context of Early Colonial Bengal and the Rise of the Kartabhajas 2: The Religion of Man (Manuser Dharma): The Religious Ideals and Social Vision of the Kartabhajas II. The Power of Secrecy: Esoteric Discourse and Practice 3: The Language of the Mint: Secrecy and Esoteric Discourse in the Kartabhajas Tradition 4: The Poor Company: Mercantile Discourse and Its Deformations in the Bhaver Gita 5: Secret Bodies: Physical Disciplines and Ecstatic Techniques III. The Liability of Secrecy: Secrecy as a Source of Scandal and Slander, Elitism and Exploitation 6: The Stinking Fruit in the Garden of Love: The Katabhajas and the Ambivalent Role of "Tantra" in Colonial Bengal 7: The Economics of Ecstacy: The Economic Hierarchy and Business Tactics of the Katabhajas 8: The Progressive "Exotericization" and "Institutionalization" of an Esoteric Tradition Conclusions and Comparative Comments: "Uninitiated Understanding" Notes Select Bibliography Index

"Urban's two volumes offer a magisterial overview and theoretically sophisticated interpretation of a group that is notoriously difficult to approach, either linguistically or in terms of context." --Journal of the American Oriental Society "A refreshing blend of archival and field research, history of religions, postmodernism, and postcolonial studies."-- The Journal of Religion "Urban's two volumes offer a magisterial overview and theoretically sophisticated interpretation of a group that is notoriously difficult to approach, either linguistically or in terms of context." --Journal of the American Oriental Society "A refreshing blend of archival and field research, history of religions, postmodernism, and postcolonial studies."-- The Journal of Religion