Pilgrimage as Imagined Site: A study of Prayag Tirtha

The notion of a holy place as an idea - consciously and deliberately constructed - is the topic of this paper. This notion of place is not inherent within the idea but is imagined and ascribed by people's agency. Here, I will explore the construction of the sacred image associated with the majo...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Goswami, Ankur (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Dublin Institute of Technology [2016]
In: The international journal of religious tourism and pilgrimage
Year: 2016, Volume: 4, Issue: 6, Pages: 16-22
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Allahabad / Pilgrimage / Ritual
B Kumbha Melā
IxTheo Classification:AD Sociology of religion; religious policy
AG Religious life; material religion
BK Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism
KBM Asia
Further subjects:B Allahabad
B Prayag
B Kumbh Mela
B Sangam
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Description
Summary:The notion of a holy place as an idea - consciously and deliberately constructed - is the topic of this paper. This notion of place is not inherent within the idea but is imagined and ascribed by people's agency. Here, I will explore the construction of the sacred image associated with the major pilgrimage centre of Prayag (modern day Allahabad). I examine how the organisation of this particular space and the use of knowledge about it has had an impact on the pilgrimage to which it is linked. A preliminary study shows that often the notion of sacred space and sacred time is invoked in order to give an impression that pilgrimage will provide the pilgrim with religious merit. This paper examines the beliefs and rituals associated with Prayag and concludes by showing how sacred literature created and reaffirmed its hallowed status.
ISSN:2009-7379
Contains:Enthalten in: The international journal of religious tourism and pilgrimage
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.21427/D7212X