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Rise of a Folk God: Vitthal of Pandharpur by Ramchandra Chintaman Dhere at Abbey's Bookshop,
Rise of a Folk God: Vitthal of Pandharpur
— —
Ramchandra Chintaman Dhere Anne Feldhaus (Professor of Religious Studies, Professor of Religious Studies, Arizona State University)

Rise of a Folk God

Vitthal of Pandharpur

Ramchandra Chintaman Dhere,  Anne Feldhaus (Professor of Religious Studies, Professor of Religious Studies, Arizona State University)

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English
Oxford University Press Inc
29 September 2011
Hindu worship, rites & ceremonies
Series: South Asia Research
Vitthal, 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 Vitthal, his worship, and his worshippers. First published in Marathi in 1984, the book remains the most thorough and insightful work on Vitthal 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.

Vitthal exemplifies the synthesis of Vaishnava and Shaiva elements that not only typifies Maharashtrian Hindu religious life but also marks Vitthal's resemblance to another prominent South Indian god, Venkatesh of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. Dhere's analysis highlights Vitthal'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 Vitthal with Buddhist and Jain traditions. In the book's final chapter, Dhere presents a culminating stage in the evolution of the worship of Vitthal: 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.
By:  
Translated by:  
Imprint:   Oxford University Press Inc
Country of Publication:   United States
Dimensions:   Height: 160mm,  Width: 236mm,  Spine: 31mm
Weight:   635g
ISBN:   9780199777594
ISBN 10:   0199777594
Series:   South Asia Research
Pages:   370
Publication Date:  
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Further / Higher Education
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Introduction 1. Puranic Sources for the Study of Vitthal 2. Hari in Cowherd's Garb 3. The Secret of the Dindira Forest 4. Vitthal, Venkates, and Virabhadra 5. Vitthalesvar 6. In Search of the Original Image of Vitthal 7. Vitthal and Hero-Stones 8. Pundalik and Pundarikesvar 9. The Sources of the Story of Pundalik 10. Vitthal and the Buddha 11. Vitthal, Jains, and Ramdasis 12. Mother Vithai 13. The Vedicization of Vitthal 14. The Yadavas' God 15. The Body Is Pandhari Glossary Abbreviations Bibliography Index

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. Anne Feldhaus is Foundation Professor of Religious Studies at Arizona State University, Tempe, where she teaches Hinduism, Sanskrit, and religious geography.

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