Hindu Pilgrimage

Hindu Pilgrimage In recent years, changes in religious studies in general and the study of Hinduism in particular have drawn more scholarly attention to other forms of the Hindu faith that are concretely embodied in temples, icons, artworks, rituals, and pilgrimage practices. This book analyses the phenomenon of pilgrimage as a religious practice and experience and examines Shr Shailam, a renowned South Indian pilgrimage site of Shiva and Goddess Durg. In doing so, it investigates two dimensions: the worldview of a place that is of utmost sanctity for Hindu pilgrims, and its historical evolution from medieval to modern times. Reddy blends religion, anthropology, art history and politics into one interdisciplinary exploration of how Shr Shailam became the epicenter for Shaivism. Through this approach, the book examines Shr Shailam’s in uence on Pan- Indian religious practices; the amalgamation of Brahmanical and regional traditions; and the intersection of the ideological and civic worlds with respect to the management of the pilgrimage centre in modern times. This book is the rst thorough study of Shr Shailam and brings together phenomenological and historical study to provide a comprehensive understanding of both the religious dimension and the historical development of the social organization of the pilgrimage place. As such, it will be of interest to students of Hinduism, pilgrimage and South Asian studies. Prabhavati C. Reddy is an Adjunct Professor of Religion at George Washington University. She is an interdisciplinary scholar with a Ph.D in South Asian Studies from Harvard University, an M.A. in Asian Art History from the University of Texas-Austin, and an M.A and M.Phil in History and Archaeology from Osmania University. Routledge Hindu Studies Series Series Editor: Gavin Flood, Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies CENTRE OF OXFORD FOR UNIVERSITY OXFORD HINDU UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD STUDIES A RfCCG'4ISED mDtFENDENT CE'iTli.E Of Ti"iE UM\'ERSrrY Of O),,"fQFD The Routledge Hindu Studies Series, in association with the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, intends the publication of constructive Hindu theological, philosophical and ethical projects aimed at bringing Hindu traditions into dia- logue with contemporary trends in scholarship and contemporary society. The series invites original, high quality, research level work on religion, culture and society of Hindus living in India and abroad. Proposals for annotated translations of important primary sources and studies in the history of the Hindu religious traditions will also be considered. 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Gupta Gender and Narrative in the Mahabharata Edited by Simon Brodbeck and Brian Black Yoga in the Modern World Contemporary perspectives Edited By Mark Singleton and Jean Byrne Consciousness in Indian Philosophy The Advaita doctrine of ‘awareness only’ Sthaneshwar Timalsina Desire and Motivation in Indian Philosophy Christopher G. Framarin Women in the Hindu Tradition Rules, roles and exceptions Mandakranta Bose Religion, Narrative and Public Imagination in South Asia Past and place in the Sanskrit Mahabharata James Hegarty Interpreting Devotion The poetry and legacy of a female Bhakti saint of India Karen Pechilis Hindu Perspectives on Evolution Darwin, dharma, and design C. Mackenzie Brown Pilgrimage in the Hindu Tradition Salvi c space Knut A. Jacobsen A Woman’s Ramayana Candravati’s Bengali epic Mandakranta Bose and Sarika Priyadarshini Bose Classical Vaisesika in Indian Philosophy On knowing and what is to be known Shashiprabha Kumar Re- guring the Ramayana as Theology A history of reception in premodern India Ajay R Rao Hinduism and Environmental Ethics Law, literature and philosophy Christopher G. Framarin Hindu Pilgrimage Shifting patterns of worldview of Shr Shailam in South India Prabhavati C. Reddy Hindu Pilgrimage Shifting patterns of worldview of Shr Shailam in South India Prabhavati C. Reddy ROUTLEDGE Routledge Taylor & Francis Group LONDON AND NEW YORK First published 2014 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2014 Prabhavati C. Reddy The right of Prabhavati C. Reddy to be identi ed as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identi cation and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Reddy, Prabhavati C. Hindu pilgrimage : shifting patterns of worldview of Srisailam / Prabhavati C. Reddy. pages cm. — (Routledge Hindu studies series) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Hindu pilgrims and pilgrimages—India—Srisailam. 2. Saivism— India—Srisailam—History. I. Title. BL1239.36.S72R43 2014 294.5351095484—dc23 2013033981 ISBN: 978-0-415-65997-0 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-315-81502-2 (ebk) Typeset in Times New Roman by Re neCatch Limited, Bungay, Suffolk For Venkat, Vikas and Pratik For their enduring love, patience, and support on my journey. This page intentionally left blank Contents List of gures xi Acknowledgments xii Note on transliteration xv Abbreviations xvi PART I Exploring Shr Shailam: why another book on a Hindu pilgrimage site? 1 1 Introduction 3 2 Theoretical approaches and methods 7 3 Book chapters 22 PART II The sacred mountain of Shiva: The place – idealization, materialization, and sancti cation 25 4 The place in the process of idealization 29 5 The place in the process of materialization 43 6 The place in the process of sancti cation 66 PART III Religious communities making the history of Shr Shailam 79 7 The early history of Shr Shailam 83 8 The emergence of the Shaiva Trtha-Kshetra 96 9 The Crystalization of the Greater Shr Shaila 102 10 The Vra Shaivas and the radhya Shaivas 117 x Contents PART IV The history and development of the pilgrimage center in the modern era 143 11 The pilgrimage center in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries 147 12 The Endowments Department of Andhra Pradesh as the custodian of Hindu religious institutions and charitable endowments 158 13 The Endowments Department of Andhra Pradesh and the management of the pilgrimage center 163 Conclusion 193 Glossary 196 Notes 199 Bibliography 208 Index 217 List of gures All the illustrations in this book are the author’s own, unless otherwise indicated. 1.1 Shr Shailam in Southern India 4 2.1 Shifting patterns of worldview of Shr Shailam 10 II.1 Map of Shr Shailam 26 II.2 Mallikrjuna Temple complex, east view 26 4.1 The Sthalamhtmya stories of Shr Shailam 30 4.2 Mallikrjuna Liga in the Sanctum 32 5.1 The Ptla Gaga Trtha (The Ganges of the Nether Regions) 46 5.2 Site Plan of the Shr Shailam Temple complex 50 7.1 Old Mallikrjun Liga 88 9.1 Great Goddess Durg in the Sanctum 107 9.2 Goddess Durg in her Bhramarmbh form 108 9.3 Naarja, the Dancing Shiva, in the Mallikrjuna Temple Hall 115 10.1 Prkra relief showing the head-offering ritual of Vra Shaivas, east face 128 10.2 Tantric goddess relief, prkra south face 140 IV.1 Mallikrjuna Temple, west view 145 13.1 Reproduced site plan by Longhurst, 1917–18 167 13.2 Marriage ceremony of Mallikrjuna and Bharamarmbh 185 13.3 Shiva’s Night Festival, chariot procession 188 Acknowledgments Shr Shailam – Shiva’s Sacred Mountain – witnessed many stories of the human condition and religious experience for over 2,000 years. It is a very ancient site with a complex history and cultural identity that I have had the privilege to docu- ment and explore. This hill-town has been a life-long fascination of mine ever since my rst visit as a young college student. Since that visit it has become a study in perpetuity. In this book, I explore three dimensions of Shr Shailam, by focusing on the distinctive personality of the hill-pilgrimage center, the plural- istic culture of religious communities, and the idiosyncratic aspects of Telugu regional culture. However, the material I have collected over nearly fteen years has led me to believe that there is much more yet to be examined and written about the site. Thus, my second book (in progress) will be an iconological study of 2,000 art narratives of the Shrî Shailam temple enclosure, and will explore the interplay between the divine and the human worlds with speci c reference to the paths of householders and ascetics as well as their practices which illustrate the ideals of bhakti, yoga, siddhi and moksha. I have made repeated visits to Shr Shailam, and every time I return it feels as though I have never left. The site has become my second home and the townspeople who frequently see me there refer to me as “American akka (sister).” I am thankful to many residents of Shr Shailam for their valuable assistance and for sharing their experiences; without them this book would not have been possible.

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