<p>India is a syncretistic country where several religions coexist. Amystical branch of Islam, ufism, brings Hindus and Muslims togetherwhen the devotees from both religions worship the same saints andmeet at the same sacred places. The purpose of this essay is to researchif, or to what extent, a mazar is a meeting place of cultures, as well asexplore mysticism within religion. A special focus is aimed at YakubShahid Mazar in Banaras where an interview study was conductedduring the autumn of 2009. This essay will also show similarities inreligious views and how Hindus and Muslims interact in themulticultural city of Banaras.</p><p>Results show that the mazar is a meeting place of multi-culture and thatpeople from varying backgrounds meet there. They come for a varietyof reasons, mostly for wishing or praying,</p> / <p>Indien är ett synkretiskt land där flera religioner samexisterar. Enmystisk gren av Islam, ufism, sammanför hinduer och muslimer näranhängare från båda religioner ber till samma helgon och möts påsamma heliga platser. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka om,och i så fall i vilken utsträckning, en mazar är en multikulturellmötesplats, samt att utforska religiös mysticism. Ett särskilt fokus liggerpå Yakub Shahid Mazar i Banaras där en intervjustudie utfördes underhösten 2009. Den här uppsatsen kommer också att visa likheter ireligiösa uppfattningar och visa hur hinduer och muslimer interagerar iden multikulturella staden Banaras.</p><p>Resultaten visar att mazaren är en multikulturell mötesplats och attmänniskor från varierande bakgrund möts där. De kommer dit för enmängd olika orsaker, mestadels för att önska eller be om något, ochhelgonets historia är inte besökarnas första prioritet.</p>

India is a syncretistic country where several religions coexist. Amystical branch of Islam, ufism, brings Hindus and Muslims togetherwhen the devotees from both religions worship the same saints andmeet at the same sacred places. The purpose of this essay is to researchif, or to what extent, a mazar is a meeting place of cultures, as well asexplore mysticism within religion. A special focus is aimed at YakubShahid Mazar in Banaras where an interview study was conductedduring the autumn of 2009. This essay will also show similarities inreligious views and how Hindus and Muslims interact in themulticultural city of Banaras. Results show that the mazar is a meeting place of multi-culture and thatpeople from varying backgrounds meet there. They come for a varietyof reasons, mostly for wishing or praying, / Indien är ett synkretiskt land där flera religioner samexisterar. Enmystisk gren av Islam, ufism, sammanför hinduer och muslimer näranhängare från båda religioner ber till samma helgon och möts påsamma heliga platser. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka om,och i så fall i vilken utsträckning, en mazar är en multikulturellmötesplats, samt att utforska religiös mysticism. Ett särskilt fokus liggerpå Yakub Shahid Mazar i Banaras där en intervjustudie utfördes underhösten 2009. Den här uppsatsen kommer också att visa likheter ireligiösa uppfattningar och visa hur hinduer och muslimer interagerar iden multikulturella staden Banaras. Resultaten visar att mazaren är en multikulturell mötesplats och attmänniskor från varierande bakgrund möts där. De kommer dit för enmängd olika orsaker, mestadels för att önska eller be om något, ochhelgonets historia är inte besökarnas första prioritet.

This dissertation examines the concept of living liberation in the Tirumantiram, a work recognised as one of the Tamil Saiva canonical texts composed around the ninth century. Modern scholarship has thus far attempted to comprehend the Tirumantiram in terms of the post-Tirumantiram traditions that developed after the thirteenth century: Tamil Saiva Siddhànta and Tamil Siddha. Consequently, the unity and coherence of the text are subjected to question, and the dual literary and cultural roots of the Tirumantiram remain largely uninvestigated. Besides, the significance of the Tirumantiram as one of the earliest vernacular works directly dealing with the question of soteriology for Tamil speaking populace, most of whom are not qualified for liberation and preceptorhood according to the Saivàgamas with which the text identifies itself, is not fully recognised. This dissertation argues that the concept of living liberation constitutes the unifying theme of the Tirumantiram, which is an outcome of the synthesis of Tamil and Sanskrit traditions, and demonstrates that the Tirumantiram-which does not apparently promote the ideology of temple cult around which the Tamil bhakti movement and Saivàgamas of Southern Saivism developed–exemplifies an alternative religious vision centred on the human body. This dissertation consists of four chapters. The first chapter examines the Tamil legacy to the concept of living liberation. The second examines the ambiguous relations between the Sanskrit traditions and the Tirumantiram. How the Tamil and Sanskrit traditions are fused together to produce a unique version of yoga, the means to attain living liberation, is the concern of the third chapter. The final chapter establishes through an analysis of sexual symbolism expressed in connotative language that the Tirumantiratm is an esoteric text. Thus, the Tirumantiram reflects the blending of an esoteric tantric sect with the leading mainstream bhakti religion, probably to win approval of and recognition in the Tamil Saiva community during the medieval period.

In The Theology of Râmânuja, John Braisted Carman carefully examines the south Asian philosopher Râmânuja’s concepts of the Supreme Person, and the relational dynamics between the Supreme Person and the devotee. Carman sees in Râmânuja’s discussion of the master (úesî)/servant (úesa) relationship the most important understandings concerning the hierarchy between the Supreme Person and the devotee. Carmen argues that in this devotional relationship there is a point at which the distinction between the master and the servant is dissolved, and mutual dependence is revealed. This paper focuses on the point where the roles in the relationship between the divine and the devotee are reversed. In this reversal the master takes on the role of the servant and the servant the master. It is argued here that this role reversal is the action that illuminates the ultimate dissolution of the hierarchy that Râmânuja recognizes and results in spiritual empowerment for the devotee.

This dissertation examines the concept of living liberation in the Tirumantiram, a work recognised as one of the Tamil Saiva canonical texts composed around the ninth century. Modern scholarship has thus far attempted to comprehend the Tirumantiram in terms of the post-Tirumantiram traditions that developed after the thirteenth century: Tamil Saiva Siddhànta and Tamil Siddha. Consequently, the unity and coherence of the text are subjected to question, and the dual literary and cultural roots of the Tirumantiram remain largely uninvestigated. Besides, the significance of the Tirumantiram as one of the earliest vernacular works directly dealing with the question of soteriology for Tamil speaking populace, most of whom are not qualified for liberation and preceptorhood according to the Saivàgamas with which the text identifies itself, is not fully recognised. This dissertation argues that the concept of living liberation constitutes the unifying theme of the Tirumantiram, which is an outcome of the synthesis of Tamil and Sanskrit traditions, and demonstrates that the Tirumantiram-which does not apparently promote the ideology of temple cult around which the Tamil bhakti movement and Saivàgamas of Southern Saivism developed–exemplifies an alternative religious vision centred on the human body. This dissertation consists of four chapters. The first chapter examines the Tamil legacy to the concept of living liberation. The second examines the ambiguous relations between the Sanskrit traditions and the Tirumantiram. How the Tamil and Sanskrit traditions are fused together to produce a unique version of yoga, the means to attain living liberation, is the concern of the third chapter. The final chapter establishes through an analysis of sexual symbolism expressed in connotative language that the Tirumantiratm is an esoteric text. Thus, the Tirumantiram reflects the blending of an esoteric tantric sect with the leading mainstream bhakti religion, probably to win approval of and recognition in the Tamil Saiva community during the medieval period.

In The Theology of Râmânuja, John Braisted Carman carefully examines the south Asian philosopher Râmânuja’s concepts of the Supreme Person, and the relational dynamics between the Supreme Person and the devotee. Carman sees in Râmânuja’s discussion of the master (úesî)/servant (úesa) relationship the most important understandings concerning the hierarchy between the Supreme Person and the devotee. Carmen argues that in this devotional relationship there is a point at which the distinction between the master and the servant is dissolved, and mutual dependence is revealed. This paper focuses on the point where the roles in the relationship between the divine and the devotee are reversed. In this reversal the master takes on the role of the servant and the servant the master. It is argued here that this role reversal is the action that illuminates the ultimate dissolution of the hierarchy that Râmânuja recognizes and results in spiritual empowerment for the devotee.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2017-01-16T11:03:06Z No. of bitstreams: 1 giulianomartinsmassi.pdf: 2442015 bytes, checksum: ad48ce7065f886182968035bc1654ef7 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Diamantino Mayra (mayra.diamantino@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-01-31T10:35:05Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 giulianomartinsmassi.pdf: 2442015 bytes, checksum: ad48ce7065f886182968035bc1654ef7 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-01-31T10:35:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 giulianomartinsmassi.pdf: 2442015 bytes, checksum: ad48ce7065f886182968035bc1654ef7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-06-14 / A tradição de São Tomé Apóstolo está vinculada ao cristianismo indiano de uma maneira desconhecida da maior parte do mundo ocidental. No Oriente, Tomé foi chamado de "o maior dos apóstolos". Aliada à tradição de que esse apóstolo direto de Jesus evangelizou pessoalmente a região indiana da Costa do Malabar, existe uma importante literatura de raízes siríacas e mesopotâmicas, e um grupo de cristãos indianos que se autodenominam, desde os primórdios da Era Cristã, como "Cristãos de São Tomé". Três momentos marcaram a história dos Cristãos de São Tomé: a suposta chegada de Tomé à Índia, em 52 d.C., a Primeira Migração de judeus-cristãos babilônicos, liderada por Tomé de Cana no séc. IV e a Segunda Migração de caldeus-nestorianos que gravitou em torno dos bispos Sapor e Prot, no séc. IX. A questão litúrgica é tão importante, que ela dá nome aos Cristãos de São Tomé da Índia: são "cristãos sírios". Mas também podem ser nambudiris, nairs, knanayas, malabares, dravidianos (ou drávidas, do Sul da Índia), keralitas, "romo-sírios", caldaicos, jacobitas, etc. Formados por um conjunto de comunidades permeadas pelo sistema de castas, em sua maioria praticantes de relações endogâmicas, os Cristãos de São Tomé tiveram sua formação associada inicialmente ao cristianismo sírio-oriental (ou seja, de Edessa) e à Igreja Nestoriana do Oriente, fruto do primeiro cisma da Igreja. Posteriormente se ramificaram em igrejas de várias denominações, a partir da chegada dos portugueses à Índia, tendo ainda incorporado, inclusive, o anglicanismo numa de suas ramificações. Mantiveram, porém, sua cultura, suas relações sociorreligiosas e jamais abdicaram completamente de suas raízes hindus. A forma de adoração pessoal a um único deus na tradição hindu, denominada de bhakti, e a disciplina da vivência religiosa, tradicionalmente conhecida como dharma, dos ensinamentos de Jesus, faz com que esses cristãos indianos tomesinos vivam um cristianismo peculiar e, de muitas formas, muito próximo ao Mestre nazareno, a ponto de se chegar a afirmar que, na Índia, se compreende melhor as palavras de Jesus do que no Ocidente. Em uma palavra, além do cristianismo de Paulo, que caracteriza o cristianismo ocidental, desenvolveu-se no Oriente, particularmente na Índia, um cristianismo igualmente importante, com outras narrativas inclusive apócrifas, tendo em São Tomé uma de suas referências fundamentais. / The tradition of Saint Thomas the Apostle is linked to the Indian Christianity in an unknown way to the most of the Western world. In the Eastern world, Thomas was called “the greatest of the Apostles”. Combined with the tradition that this apostle, directly related to Jesus, personally preached in the Indian region of the Malabar Coast, there is an important documentation about the Syriac and Mesopotamic roots and a group of Indian Christians, identifying themselves as “Saint Thomas Christians”. Three moments marked the history of Saint Thomas Christians: the supposed arrival of Thomas to India, in 52 A.D., the First Migration of Christian Jewish Babylonians, leaded by Thomas of Cana in the 4th century and the Second Migration of Chaldeans Nestorians, that gravitated toward the bishops Sabor and Proth, in the 9th century. The liturgical issue is so important that it gives name to the Christians of St. Thomas in India: they are the "Syrian Christians". But they can also be called Nambudiris, Nairs, Knanayas, Malabars, Dravidians (or Dravidians from South India), Keralites, “Roman-Syrians", Chaldeans, Jacobites, etc. Consisting of a set of communities that work through the caste system, mostly practicing endogamous relations, the Saint Thomas Christians had their creation associated, initially, to the Eastern Syriac Christianity (i.e., from Edessa) and the Nestorian Church of the East, result of the first schism in the Church. Afterwards, they branched out in churches of various denominations since the arrival of the Portuguese people in India, and incorporated even the Anglicanism in one of their branches. They maintained, however, their culture, their socio-religious relations and never completely abdicated their Hindu roots. The individual worship way of one single god in the Hindu tradition, denominated bhakti, and the discipline of the religious living, traditionally known as dharma, from the teachings of Jesus Christ, make of these Indian Christians of Saint Thomas a people who live a particular Christianity and, in many ways, very close to the Nazarene Rabbi, to even state that, in India, the word of Jesus is better understand then in the Western world. In a word, in addition to the Christianity of Paul, that characterizes Western Christianity, an equally important Christianity developed in the East, particularly in India, with other narratives including apocryphal, has Saint Thomas as one of its key references.

The so called Bhakti movement spread, during the Late Medieval period, like wildfire across the South Asian subcontinent and acted like a catalyst for the development of nirguṇī-traditions. These newly emerging nirguṇī-traditions rallyd men and women alike, preaching for the abolation of the varṇa-system, for Muslim-Hindu unity, devotion to the one omipresent godhead, nirguṇa. Among these traditions, a man named Kabīr came and claimed the leading position, a position that history still, to this day, gives credit as being one of the most, if not the most, important figure amongst the of the North Indian bhakti preachers. Kabīr’s teachings came to be, after his passing, the foundation for the establishmentof the Kabīr Panth (Path of Kabīr) a by now well known tradition. However, at an early stage of formation, the Kabīr Panth began to separate into many branches, which all started to produce their own literature regarding several contrasting retellings of Kabīr’s life, his poems, and the installation of rituals and praxis. As a consequence of the various legends along with myths created, following the schism between the main branches, Kabīr’s life and legacy came to be displayed and understood rather differently. This study does not only demonstrate how Kabīr is perceived within the various branches, most prominent that of the Kabīr Chaurā and Dharmadasī branch, and what attributes, human and divine, are given him. Throughout the study it is also shown how these perceptions of Kabīr, may be understood as forms of, to various degrees, fostering of Sanskritization in order to gain upward momentum within the Indian socio-religious ladder of hierarchy, more commonly known as the varṇa-system.

No description available.

Kabīr stands as one of the most, if not the most, influential nirguṇbhakti poet of the so-called Sant movement in northern India during the 15th century. Even though his fame is far and widely spread, there is no extensive historical evidence regarding his own life. The understanding one might have surrounding Kabīr is mostly inspired by his poems, or following the information which is available through the rich traditions regarding Kabīr, mostly authored by his followers in the Kabīr Panth. His critical view on high caste society, and rough rhetoric regarding the institutionalized religious traditions of his era, made him a victim of hate and violence during his lifetime. After his death, this rough rhetoric and critical view, ignited a full on dispute between Hindus and Muslims on the subject of which group he belonged to. The teachings of Kabīr has not only sparked an interest in the field of academia but also in movies, literature and theater alike. The latter is the main subject of interest for this paper. The renowned Indian writer Bhisham Sahni has during his life been recognized as one of the most influential writers in the so-called Nayī Kahānī movement, which sprung from a new found vision of the future after Indian independence 1947. Sahnis is mostly famous for his novels and short stories, with such titles as Tamas and Amṛtsar ā gayā hai. But in this paper we shall instead take a closer look into his play Kabirā khaḍā bazār meṃ and how Kabīr is portrayed and understood by Sahni, as well as, if and how Sahni’s Kabīr can be understood within a comparative analysis with how he is portrayed in the introduction to Rabindranath Tagore’s One hundred poems of Kabir by Evelyn Underhill and in Linda Hess’s The Bījak of Kabīr.