ABSTRACT
Rationale As India celebrated the 60th anniversary of its independence in 2007, much praise was lavished on its emergence as a major player on the global stage. Its economic transformation, its nuclear arsenal, its emphasis on cyberculture, its international reputation for outsourcing facilities and its popular tourist destination are some of the main factors accounting for India’s present rise to power. Comparatively little attention has been paid in the West to its incredibly rich popular cultural traditions.
