Till kingdom come : medieval Hinduism in the modern Himalaya / Lokesh Ohri.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ohri, Lokesh, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Folk religion--India--Himachal Pradesh.

Folk religion.

Hindu gods--India--Himachal Pradesh.

Hindu gods.

Hindu mythology--India--Himachal Pradesh.

Hindu mythology.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (416 pages)

Place of Publication:

Albany, New York : State University of New York Press, [2021]

Summary:

Hinduism, as is well known, has taken a multitude of shapes and forms. Some Hindu "little traditions" have remained obscure or understudied to this day due to their regional remoteness. One such offshoot is the influential cult of Mahasu, which has existed since medieval times in a part of the western Himalaya. The deity at the core of the cult takes the form of four primary Mahasus with territorial influence, installed in various far-flung temples. Their geographical center is the village of Hanol, and the larger territory is integrated into the Mahasu politico-religious system by a peripatetic deity with loyal followers across a considerable domain.Mahasu remains influential in the region, its ritual practices having remained quite distinct despite social change. An anthropological survey was conducted in its terrain during British times, but Till Kingdom Come is the first book to offer a detailed framework, a fine-grained history, and an analytically nuanced understanding of one of the rarest branches of Hindu worship.

Contents:

Front Matter

Contents

Acknowledgments

Glossary

Note on Transliteration

Introduction: Kings Divine

Ritual Longevity

Journeying Sovereignties

Stranger Kings

Being Young

Emerson Emerges

Duty Bound

Tribal Caste

Rites and Rights

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781438482576

1438482574