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<p>Along with pilgrimage rituals vrata-s (a form of religious vow) are one of the major forms of religious observance in popular Hinduism. Details of how these vows should be practised, who may observe them and the merit that they confer are described in many of the Pura~as (compendia of Hindu religious lore, ritual practices, philosophy, myth, geneologies and so forth written in Sanskrit between c. 400 and 1400 A.D.).</p> <p>In this thesis my aim has been to provide an explicit picture of the nature and function of these vrata-s within the Purānic context. In the first section I have traced the meaning of the term 'vrata' from its earliest usage in the Rgveda to its usage in the Puranas where it became identified with a religious observance involving fasting, pūjā (worship), and dāna (the giving of gifts) directed to a deity in return for religious merit, a favour (e.g., sons), or as a form of expiation. In the next section of the thesis a selection of vrata-s from four Puranas have been described. These vrata-s are then analyzed according to nine categories, including deity to whom the vrata is to be directed, ritual requirements of the vratee, and the purpose for which the vrata is to be undertaken.</p> <p>In the process of researching this thesis certain prevalent ideas about the Purānic vrata-s found in secondary literature, such as the idea that these vrata-s are mainly directed to women or that low as well as high caste Hindus had equal privelege to observe them, were found to be misconceptions. A reason for the existence of these misconceptions is the tendency on the part of some writers to confuse sastric vrata-s (those sanctioned in the sacred texts) with popular or 'Folk' (laukika) vrata-s (those given less treatment or none at all in the texts).</p> <p>This thesis has also addressed the controversy over whether vrata-s represent a popularization of Vedic religion or a 'Brahmanization' of popular religious practice. It was determined that the texts themselves do not provide conclusive evidence for either position. Rather, all one can say is that the vrata-s incorporate elements of both Vedic or 'Brahmanic' and non-Vedic thought and practices and that this kind of fusion is itself a characteristic of the Puran.a literature.</p> / Master of Arts (MA)

<p>Pages 22 and 156 have no text in the original hard copy other than the title at the top and the page number.</p> / <p>This dissertation undertakes an analysis of the two concluding books of the Sanskrit <em>Mahābhārata</em> or "Great Epic of India." Although the <em>Mahābhārata</em> is traditionally understood as a <em>smrti</em> or "remembered" work in contradistinction to the Vedic corpus of "heard" (<em>śruti</em>) scripture, I argue in this thesis that we can best understand the content and configuration of the<em> Māhābhārata</em>'s two final books by reading them against a background of Vedic ritual and myth. Adopting this hermeneutical approach, I treat the two key narrative issues which we find developed at the <em>Mahābhārata'</em>s conclusion: the manner in which the poem's principal characters die (chapters two and three of the thesis), and the account of their afterlife fates (chapter four of the thesis). In chapter two I argue that a Vedic ritual called the<em> yātsattra</em> helped to shape the substance and sequence of the narrative account of the epic heroes' deaths. In chapter three I pursue this issue further, arguing that, as elsewhere in the<em> Mahābhārata,</em> the <em>yātsuttra</em> in Books 17 and 18 is tied to the later ritual institution of circumambulatory pilgrimage or <em>tīrthayātrā</em>, a rite also figuring in the account of the characters' deaths. In treating the second narrative issue in chapter four, I examine the backdrop of Vedic myth which underlies the narrative of the entire <em>Mahābhārata</em>, and which is restated at the conclusion of the poem. As in chapters two and three, I argue that in order to understand the <em>Muhābhāratu</em>'s final scenes, we must appreciate the extent to which the poem has been fashioned against the paradigm of the Veda and its ritual and mythic world.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The process of decomposition can be used as a method for disrupting the knowing subject, thus creating space for the awareness of unnoticed ideologies and beliefs. The body of work presented in this thesis intends to point towards, symbolically represent, and alchemically initiate a process of dissolution. It arises from an intention to negotiate psychospiritual suffering, by transmuting impulses of self destruction and violence into ceremonial and ritual processes. This work incorporates various methods into its scope, including video, performance, sculpture, painting, and gardening. / Master of Fine Arts / The process of decomposition can be used as a method for disrupting the knowing subject, thus creating space for the awareness of unnoticed ideologies and beliefs. The body of work presented in this thesis intends to point towards, symbolically represent, and alchemically initiate a process of dissolution. It arises from an intention to negotiate psychospiritual suffering, by transmuting impulses of self destruction and violence into ceremonial and ritual processes. This work incorporates various methods into its scope, including video, performance, sculpture, painting, and gardening.

[ES] RESUMEN La presente investigación pretende despertar reflexiones, emociones y acciones acerca del performance como herramienta ritual ante el cruce de dos acontecimientos, la muerte de un ser querido y la migración. A partir de que comencé un proceso migratorio como mexicana en España, viví diversos acontecimientos que transformaron mi manera de percibir y estar en el mundo. El más revelador de todos fue experimentar la muerte de mi padre a distancia. Este suceso detonó una fuerte necesidad creativa que se expresó por medio de la acción. Así, los performances que mi familia y yo elaboramos se convirtieron en testimonio de la multiplicidad de factores que intervienen en el lejano fallecimiento de un ser querido. Observar tal complejidad como artista y migrante, me llevó a investigar estos performances desde una perspectiva feminista y descolonial, siendo una de las principales motivaciones la escasa bibliografía existente, así como la relación que establecí con otros cuerpos migrantes que han atravesado procesos de duelo similares. Las metodologías se insertan dentro de las prácticas analíticas creativas, combinando la autoetnografía y la investigación basada en artes. Estas prácticas transforman los paradigmas de objetividad y universalidad para proponer un conocimiento encarnado y situado en una realidad local y global a la vez. De esta forma, al hablar desde mi experiencia, puedo profundizar en elementos emocionales/racionales, "corazonando" la investigación y poniendo nombre y rostro a quienes incorporamos dicha realidad. Así, hablar desde mi cuerpo como mujer migrante es una postura política que desmitifica el discurso moderno/colonial caracterizado por la banalización, invisibilización y menosprecio de conceptos como el de muerte y migración. El desarrollo del trabajo explora una serie de performances culturales y artísticos realizados entre 2012 y 2018 alrededor de la muerte de mi padre. En base a la sedimentación de una experiencia sentida, se realiza un ejercicio de traducción a través de un tejido de textos visuales y escritos. Posteriormente, se revisan las interpretaciones e implicaciones de dicho tejido basándose una autoetnografía performativa. Esta revisión crítica y creativa explora los siguientes aportes de la tesis: Recuperar la importancia de la dimensión simbólica del performance, visibilizar el valor de las migrantes y nuestras familias transnacionales como agentes creativos y políticos, desjerarquizar las prácticas del performance en el camino hacia la reformulación de "otras" teorías del arte, aprender de los muertos como una estrategia de descolonización del saber y transformar los hábitos moderno/coloniales en la Universidad. Las referencias teóricas y prácticas han sido muchas y muy diversas, pero de manera general cabe mencionar los aportes artísticos y críticos del Instituto Hemisférico de Performance y Política y las Pedagogías decoloniales compiladas por Catherine Walsh. / [CA] RESUM La present investigació pretén despertar reflexions, emocions i accions sobre el performance com a eina ritual davant l'encreuament de dos es-deveniments, la mort d'un ser estimat i la migració. A partir de que vaig començar un procés migratori com a mexicana a Espanya, vaig viure diver-sos esdeveniments que van transformar la meua manera de percebre i estar en el món. El més revelador de tots va ser experimentar la mort del meu pare a distància. Aquest succés va detonar una forta necessitat crea-tiva que es va expressar per mitjà de l'acció. Així, els performances que la meua família i jo elaborarem es van convertir en testimoni de la multiplici-tat de factors que intervenen en la llunyana defunció d'un ser estimat. Observar tal complexitat com a artista i migrant, em va portar a investigar aquests performances des d'una perspectiva feminista i decolonial, sent una de les principals motivacions l'escassa bibliografia existent, així com la relació que vaig establir amb altres cossos migrants que han travessat pro-cessos de duel similars. Les metodologies s'insereixen dins de les pràctiques analítiques creatives, combinant la autoetnografía i la investigació basada en arts. Aquestes pràctiques transformen els paradigmes d'objectivitat i universalitat per a proposar un coneixement encarnat i situat en una realitat local i global alhora. D'aquesta forma, en parlar des de la meua experiència, puc apro-fundir en elements emocionals/racionals, "corazonando" la investigació i posant nom i rostre als qui incorporem aquesta realitat. Així, parlar des del meu cos com a dona migrant és una postura política que desmitifica el dis-curs modern/colonial caracteritzat per la banalització, invisibilización i menyspreu de conceptes com els de mort i migració. El desenvolupament del treball explora una sèrie de performances cultu-rals i artístics realitzats entre 2012 i 2018 al voltant de la mort del meu pare. Sobre la base de la sedimentació d'una experiència sentida, es realitza un exercici de traducció a través d'un teixit de textos visuals i escrits. Posteri-orment, es revisen les interpretacions i implicacions d'aquest teixit basant-se una autoetnografía performativa. Aquesta revisió crítica i creativa ex-plora les següents aportacions de la tesi: Recuperar la importància de la dimensió simbòlica del performance, visibilitzar el valor de les migrants i les nostres famílies transnacionals com a agents creatius i polítics, desjerarqui-zar les pràctiques del performance en el camí cap a la reformulació de "al-tres" teories de l'art, aprendre dels morts com una estratègia de descolo-nització del saber i transformar els hàbits modern/colonials en la Universi-tat. Les referències teòriques i pràctiques han sigut moltes i molt diverses, però de manera general cal esmentar les aportacions artístiques i crítics de l'Institut Hemisfèric de Performance i Política i les Pedagogies decoloniales compilades per Catherine Walsh. / [EN] SUMMARY This research aims to awaken reflections, emotions and actions about performance as a ritual tool before the crossing of two events, the death of a loved one and migration. Since I began a migratory process as a Mexican in Spain, I lived through various events that transformed my way of perceiving and being in the world. The most revealing of all was to experience my father's death from a geographical distance. This event triggered a strong creative need that was expressed through action. Thus, the performances that my family and I produced became a testimony to the multiplicity of factors involved in the (geographically) distant death of a loved one. Observing such complexity as an artist and a migrant, led me to investigate these performances from a feminist and decolonial perspective, one of the main motivations being the scarce existing bibliography, as well as the relationship I established with other migrant bodies that have gone through similar mourning processes. The methodologies are inserted into creative analytical practices, combining autoethnography and arts-based research. These practices transform the paradigms of objectivity and universality to propose an incarnated knowledge situated in a local and global reality at the same time. In this way, speaking from my experience, I can explore emotional/rational elements, "corazonando" the research and giving a name and face to those who incorporate this reality. Thus, the fact of speaking from my body as a migrant woman is a political posture that demystifies the modern/colonial discourse characterized by the banalization, invisibilization and undervaluation of concepts such as death and migration. The development of this work explores a series of cultural and artistic performances carried out between 2012 and 2018, centred on my father's death. Based on the sedimentation of a felt experience, a translation exercise is carried out through the weaving of visual and written texts. Subsequently, the interpretations and implications of this fabric are reviewed based on a performative autoethnography. This critical and creative review explores the following contributions of the thesis: To recover the importance of the symbolic dimension of performance. To make visible the value of migrants and our transnational families as creative and political agents. To de-hierarchize performance practices on the way to the reformulation of "other" art theories. To learn from the dead as a strategy of decolonization of knowledge and to transform modern/colonial habits in academia. The theoretical and practical references have been many and very diverse, but in general it is worth mentioning the artistic and critical contributions of the Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics and the decolonial Pedagogies compiled by Catherine Walsh. / En primer lugar agradezco el apoyo de la beca INBA-CONACYT por ayudarme a sustentar económicamente este proyecto. / Fajardo Montaño, O. (2019). Performance por la lejana muerte de mi padre: autoetnografía artística y descolonial desde mi cuerpo migrante [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/118803