Dancing the Self: Personhood and Performance in the Pāṇḍav Līlā of GarhwalFor ten years, William Sax studied the inhabitants of the former kingdom of Garhwal in northern India. Sax attended and participated in performances of the pandav lila (a ritual reenactment of scenes from the Mahabharata in a dance) and observed its context in village life. Combining ethnographic fieldwork with sophisticated reflection on the larger meanings of these rituals and practices, this volume presents the information in a style accessible to the uninitiated reader. Sax opens a window on a fascinating (and threatened) aspect of rural Indian life and on Hinduism as a living religion, while providing an accessible introduction to the Mahabharata itself. |
Contents
The Performative Construction of the Self | 3 |
The Mahābhārata Story | 16 |
Pāņdav Līlā as a Regional Tradition | 39 |
Pāņdav Līlā as a Mans Sport | 64 |
Pāņdav Līlā as a Rajput Tradition | 93 |
A Divine King in the Western Himalayas | 157 |
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Common terms and phrases
Abhimanyu anthropologists Arjuna arrow asked aśvamedha Babhruvahana Babrik bard battle began Bhima boon Brahman brothers called caste Chalda Mahasu Chamoli District Chandpur chapter Circular Array cult cultural dancers dancing square deities demon devatā devatom dharma divine dominance dramatic Draupadi drummer drums Dumont Duryodhana epic episode example father five Pandavas Garhwal gillī goat goddess Hanuman Hastinapura Heesterman hegemony Hiltebeitel 1988 Himalayas Hindu human Indian Indra Jakh Kali Karna Kauravas kī sevā killed King Karna kingship Krishna Kshatriya Kumaon kuntī mātā Mahābhārata Mahābhārata story Nagarjuna Nagiloka Nakula north India oracle Padam Singh pańcanām pāņdav pandav līlā Pandavas Pandu pātā performance political priest public ritual Pune edition rājā Raja Karan Rajputs recitation region religious renouncer rhinoceros River Sahadeva Sanskrit Shiva Shri Singtur social sons śrāddha Sutol temple territory tion told Tons River took tradition tree Vasudanta vazir versions village warrior weapons wife women worship Yudhisthira