________________
Since I conducted thirty-nine interviews and engaged in many informal
conversations, I cannot thank each individual by name. I am grateful to all of them and
most notably to the Terapanth monks and nuns, who took time to share their insights and
expertise with me during my fieldwork in India.
I take this opportunity to thank my friends for weeding through my thesis
chapters. I am indebted to my entire family in India for their unconditional support and
encouragement during calm and even during crisis. Finally, I want to thank my husband,
Sanjeev Bothra, for his support and for valuing and appreciating my intellectual
endeavors; this study-experience was only possible with his sharing of my vision.
