This course examines how Hindu traditions imagine the divine in human, animal, and digital forms – whether as Rama and Krsna in epic narratives, temple images, dramatic reenactments, or living gurus. We trace the epic and Puranic roots of the avatara (“descent”) idea, explore medieval debates on what it means to be human/divine, and consider modern expressions including temple worship, goddess possession, new religious movements, and digital avatars – engaging primary texts, scholarship, and film.
