Sacred play : ritual levity and humor in South Asian religions / edited by Selva J. Raj and Corinne G. Dempsey
- Published
- Albany : State University of New York Press, [2010]
- Copyright Date
- ©2010
- Physical Description
- 1 online resource (xi, 224 pages) : illustrations
- Additional Creators
- Raj, Selva J. and Dempsey, Corinne G.
Access Online
- Language Note
- English.
- Contents
- Introduction: ritual levity in South Asian traditions / Selva J. Raj and Corinne Dempsey -- Serious levity at the Shrine of St. Anne in South India / Selva J. Raj -- Don't take it badly, it's Holi : ritual levity, society, and agriculture / A. Whitney Sanford -- Playing the married lady : primary marriage among the Newars of Nepal / Liz wilson -- The "artful trick" : challenging convention through play in upstate New York / Corinne Dempsey and Sudharshan Durayappah -- Friendship, humor, levity, and love in a Hindu women's ritual tradition / Tracy Pintchman -- Laughing until it hurts-- somebody else : the pain of a ritual joke / William P. Harman -- Gods' play and the Buddha's way : varieties of levity in contemporary Sinhala practice / Jonathan Walters -- Playing with Durga in Bengal / Rachel Fell McDermott -- Turning Karbala inside out : humor and ritual critique in South Asian Muharram rites / Amy C. Bard -- A Catholic charismatic healer at play in North India / Mathew N. Schmalz -- Response / Jonathan Z. Smith.
- Summary
- "Frivolity isn't always frivolous - sometimes it can be sacred. Sacred Play uncovers levity and playfulness in a variety of South Asian traditions where one might least expect to find it: in the heart of ritual. Case studies of Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and Buddhist rituals examine instances of levity that challenge social or religious norms, in which mischievous deities inspire similar behavior among their devotees, and where playful competition incites serious consequences. Sacred Play explores how piety and levity can complement and complicate one another, enriching our understanding of both."--Jacket
- Subject(s)
- Genre(s)
- ISBN
- 9781441639790 (electronic bk.)
1441639799 (electronic bk.)
1438429819
9781438429816
1438429797 (hardcover ; alk. paper)
9781438429793 (hardcover ; alk. paper) - Digital File Characteristics
- text file
- Bibliography Note
- Includes bibliographical references and index.
View MARC record | catkey: 43165337