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8 - An Ephemeral Line in the Sand

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 April 2024

Mukesh Kumar
Affiliation:
Alexander von Humboldt Fellow, South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University
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Summary

In order to comprehend various interconnected aspects, such as the historical transformation of identities, shared places of worship and blended socio-religious customs, it is imperative for scholars of religion to adopt a comprehensive viewpoint that considers the dynamic nature of evolving religious cultures. Understanding the diverse religious landscape of South Asia requires going beyond rigid categorisations of ‘Hindu’ or ‘Muslim’ and instead recognising the historically embedded connections and conflicts among ‘locally’ developed religious practices. Without acknowledging these complex interrelationships, it is impossible to grasp the full extent of Indic religious diversity. Pre-existing elements of religious cultures may take different and separate routes, can mould and be moulded by social and political forces. But, despite these changes in the (re-)structuring of a new religious worldview, certain shared devotional aspects remain in vestigial forms.

When the Laldas religious order was established in the sixteenth century, it was based on various strands of ‘Sufi’ and ‘Bhakti’ doctrines that promoted the transcendence of two institutional religious identities, ‘Muslim’ and ‘Hindu’. In accordance with the teachings of the saint Kabir, Laldas formed a unique religious synthesis that gave priority to a popular expression of a distinct religiosity. The religious traditions associated with Laldas underwent a gradual transformation, eventually being categorised under a specific religious category. In this process, the concept of ‘religion’ itself, which is a dynamic and evolving network of power, also transformed its meaning. Whether it was the devotion of a ‘Sufi’ or ‘Bhakti’ saint or the creation of ‘locally’ based ‘Islamic’ and ‘Hindu’ reformist movements, they all interacted with one another in a highly intricate manner, often adopting features of their religious opponents in order to accomplish their own goals. The emergence of the Laldas order in the sixteenth century needs to be explored in this context of diverse religious trends vying to establish supremacy over each other. His teachings centred on the promotion of nonbinary identities deeply rooted in the local context of Mewat. He is revered to this day for his ability to bestow blessings and perform miracles. Studying the historical interconnections between different conceptions of ‘Sufism’ and ‘Bhakti’ allows for a clearer understanding of popular religiosity associated with Laldas, which stands in contrast to institutionalised expressions of ‘Islam’ and ‘Hinduism’.

Type
Chapter
Information
Between Muslim Pīr and Hindu Saint
Laldas and the Devotional Culture in North India
, pp. 218 - 234
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BYCreative Common License - NC
This content is Open Access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence CC-BY-NC 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/cclicenses/

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  • An Ephemeral Line in the Sand
  • Mukesh Kumar, Alexander von Humboldt Fellow, South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University
  • Book: Between Muslim Pīr and Hindu Saint
  • Online publication: 30 April 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009423991.008
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  • An Ephemeral Line in the Sand
  • Mukesh Kumar, Alexander von Humboldt Fellow, South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University
  • Book: Between Muslim Pīr and Hindu Saint
  • Online publication: 30 April 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009423991.008
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • An Ephemeral Line in the Sand
  • Mukesh Kumar, Alexander von Humboldt Fellow, South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University
  • Book: Between Muslim Pīr and Hindu Saint
  • Online publication: 30 April 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009423991.008
Available formats
×