In this robust, enlightening and entertaining study, the psychoanalyst Sudhir Kakar and the anthropologist Katharina Kakar investigate the nature of "Indianness", that unity that underlies the great diversity of India, beyond ethnic or social differences.

Focusing on what constitutes a common Indian identity, the authors examine in detail the complex hierarchical world of social relations, based on the institution of caste; the particular conception of family ties, derived from the idea of ​​extended family; the influence of ayurveda on the image of the human body and health; the modest attitude towards sex and marriage; the situation of women; or the perception of the "other", with special emphasis on the Hindu-Muslim conflict.

Based on three decades of research and sources as varied as the Mahabharata, the Kamasutra, the writings of Gandhi, Bollywood films and popular folklore, the authors have created with this work a rich and chromatic portrait of Indian society.