On Varanasi’s Tiny Temples

In this paper, I present the results of a comprehensive survey of the public temples of the city of Varanasi in north India. Considering the city’s total public temple environment, I argue that an emphasis on major centers of pilgrimage and other large temples has obscured the prevalence of the “tin...

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Main Author: Christian Haskett
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Centre d’Etudes de l’Inde et de l’Asie du Sud 2018-04-01
Series:South Asia Multidisciplinary Academic Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/samaj/4524
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author Christian Haskett
author_facet Christian Haskett
author_sort Christian Haskett
collection DOAJ
description In this paper, I present the results of a comprehensive survey of the public temples of the city of Varanasi in north India. Considering the city’s total public temple environment, I argue that an emphasis on major centers of pilgrimage and other large temples has obscured the prevalence of the “tiny” temples which are far more numerous and widespread. These temples do much important work of Hinduism, bringing the power of divinity and the legal weight of the Hindu tradition to bear on the lives of their devotees as well as the many others who encounter them each day.
format Article
id doaj-art-0b171c8e36824ff48ec3b2ca11930436
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issn 1960-6060
language English
publishDate 2018-04-01
publisher Centre d’Etudes de l’Inde et de l’Asie du Sud
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series South Asia Multidisciplinary Academic Journal
spelling doaj-art-0b171c8e36824ff48ec3b2ca119304362025-08-20T02:37:52ZengCentre d’Etudes de l’Inde et de l’Asie du SudSouth Asia Multidisciplinary Academic Journal1960-60602018-04-011810.4000/samaj.4524On Varanasi’s Tiny TemplesChristian HaskettIn this paper, I present the results of a comprehensive survey of the public temples of the city of Varanasi in north India. Considering the city’s total public temple environment, I argue that an emphasis on major centers of pilgrimage and other large temples has obscured the prevalence of the “tiny” temples which are far more numerous and widespread. These temples do much important work of Hinduism, bringing the power of divinity and the legal weight of the Hindu tradition to bear on the lives of their devotees as well as the many others who encounter them each day.https://journals.openedition.org/samaj/4524templeslocal templeswayside shrinesurban Hinduismmaterial culturevisual culture
spellingShingle Christian Haskett
On Varanasi’s Tiny Temples
South Asia Multidisciplinary Academic Journal
temples
local temples
wayside shrines
urban Hinduism
material culture
visual culture
title On Varanasi’s Tiny Temples
title_full On Varanasi’s Tiny Temples
title_fullStr On Varanasi’s Tiny Temples
title_full_unstemmed On Varanasi’s Tiny Temples
title_short On Varanasi’s Tiny Temples
title_sort on varanasi s tiny temples
topic temples
local temples
wayside shrines
urban Hinduism
material culture
visual culture
url https://journals.openedition.org/samaj/4524
work_keys_str_mv AT christianhaskett onvaranasistinytemples