Rise of a Folk God

Ḍhere, Rāmacandra Cintāmaṇa:
Rise of a Folk God : Viṭṭhal of Pandharpur / by Ramchandra Chintaman Dhere. Transl. by Anne Feldhaus. - New York : Oxford University Press, 2011. - xvii, 350 S. : Ill., Kt. - (South Asia Research)
ISBN 978-0-19-977759-4
US$ 74,00
DDC: 294.52113

Beschreibung
Viṭṭhal, also called Vithoba, is the most popular Hindu god in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, and the best-known god of that region outside India. His temple at Pandharpur is the goal of an annual pilgrimage that is one of the largest and most elaborate in the world. This book is the foremost study of the history of Viṭṭhal, his worship, and his worshippers. First published in Marathi in 1984, the book remains the most thorough and insightful work on Viṭṭhal and his cult in any language, and provides an exemplary model for understanding the history and morphology of lived Hinduism. The author, Ramchandra Chintaman Dhere, is the leading scholar of religious traditions in Maharashtra and throughout the Deccan, the plateau that covers most of central India.
   Viṭṭhal exemplifies the synthesis of Vaishnava and Shaiva elements that not only typifies Maharashtrian Hindu religious life but also marks Viṭṭhal's resemblance to another prominent South Indian god, Venkatesh of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. Dhere's analysis highlights Viṭṭhal's connection with pastoralist hero cults, and demonstrates the god's development from a god of shepherds to a god of the majority of the population. In addition, Dhere also explores the connections of Viṭṭhal with Buddhist and Jain traditions. In the book's final chapter, Dhere presents a culminating stage in the evolution of the worship of Viṭṭhal: the interpretation in spiritual terms of the god, his temple, the town of Pandharpur, and the river that flows past the town. Dhere received India's highest literary award, the Sahitya Akademi prize, for this book. [Verlagsinformation]

Inhalt
Translator's Preface. vii
A Note on Transliteration. xix
Introduction: Viṭṭhal Beckons. 3
1. Purāṇic Sources for the Study of Viṭṭhal. 15
2. Hari in Cowherd's Garb. 28
3. The Secret of the Diṇḍīra Forest. 43
4. Viṭṭhal, Veṅkateś, and Vīrabhadra. 56
5. Viṭṭhaleśvar. 80
6. In Search of the Original Image of Viṭṭhal. 94
7. Viṭṭhal and Hero-Stones. 121
8. Puṇḍalīk and Puṇḍarīkeśvar. 139
9. The Sources of the Story of Puṇḍalīk. 151
10. Viṭṭhal and the Buddha. 173
11. Viṭṭhal, Jains, and Rāmdāsīs. 189
12. Mother Viṭhāī. 207
13. The Vedicization of Viṭṭhal. 221
14. The Yādavas' God. 234
15. The Body Is Paṇḍharī. 271
Glossary. 291
Abbreviations. 295
Notes. 297
Bibliography. 317
Index. 333

Autor
RAMCHANDRA CHINTAMAN DHERE, the foremost scholar of religious traditions in Maharashtra, has published over 100 books in this area. The dozens of awards he has received for his scholarly work include the highly coveted Maharashtra State Prize and the Sahitya Akademi prize.

Übersetzerin
ANNE FELDHAUS is Foundation Professor of Religious Studies at Arizona State University, Tempe, where she teaches Hinduism, Sanskrit, and religious geography. Profile page.

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