The Practice of Texts

"A valuable scholarly contribution. The Practice of Texts provides a vivid account of the philological conversations between the vaidya-gurus and their students. By documenting how the gurukula system operated for two millennia, Anthony Cerulli demonstrates how it continues to impart a medical education that remains relevant today."--Sree Padma, author of Vicissitudes of the Goddess: Reconstructions of the Gramadevata in India's Religious Traditions "By explaining the changing role of the gurukula, The Practice of Texts makes an important contribution to the histories of science and education in late- and postcolonial India. Beyond that, Cerulli offers new ways of conceptualizing the cultural uses of texts, which will be useful to scholars of India more broadly."--Brian Collins, Drs. Ram and Sushila Gawande Chair in Indian Religion and Philosophy, Ohio University