Drawing out the iconic in the aniconic: worship of neem trees and Govardhan stones in Northern India
Natural entities such as rivers, trees, and mountains have long been worshiped in Hindu India as embodied forms of divinity. This essay examines the devotional tendency to anthropomorphize such aniconic objects as a way of bringing out their personality - in other words, to draw the iconic out of th...
| Published in: | Religion |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic/Print Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
|
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group
[2017]
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| In: |
Religion
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| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
India (Nord)
/ Hinduism
/ Azadirachta indica
/ Govardhana (Mountain)
/ Cult
/ Iconic element
/ Anthropomorphism
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| RelBib Classification: | AG Religious life; material religion BK Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism KBM Asia |
| Further subjects: | B
aniconic
B Hinduism B Iconic B neem B Anthropomorphism B Mount Govardhan B Personhood |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (doi) |
| Summary: | Natural entities such as rivers, trees, and mountains have long been worshiped in Hindu India as embodied forms of divinity. This essay examines the devotional tendency to anthropomorphize such aniconic objects as a way of bringing out their personality - in other words, to draw the iconic out of the aniconic. Primary attention is given to neem trees in Banaras - considered to be embodied forms of the goddess Śītalā - and stones from the celebrated Mount Govardhan of Braj - regarded as embodied forms of Kṛṣṇa. Descriptions of the anthropomorphic techniques employed in the worship of these trees and stones are provided along with explanations to demonstrate that they are performed by devotees for the expressed purpose of achieving and nurturing intimate relationships with these natural forms of divinity. Brief consideration is given to contemporary reevaluations of anthropomorphism. |
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| ISSN: | 0048-721X |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Religion
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/0048721X.2017.1290663 |