The Sacred Centre as the Focus of Political Interest: Proceedings of the Symposium Held on the Occasion of the 375th Anniversary of the University of Groningen, 5-8 March 1989Hans Bakker The central theme of the symposium was elaborated upon according to various religions, periods and areas, such as North India (historical) by H. Kulke, A. Wink, J. C. Heesterman and H. T. Bakker; South India (historical) by D. Shulman, B. Stein and G. Berkemer; contemporary India by C.J. Fuller, L.P. van den Bosch and J. P. Parry; Sri Lanka by G. Obeyesekere; the Byzantine Empire by A. N. Palmer; the Moroccan Sultanate by H. Beck, and the European Middle Ages by M. Gosman. This systematic approach focusing on a well-defined theme in a widely differentiated context appears to be fruitful. An often little recognized, though essential, universal aspect of important places of pilgrimage is their embedment in political ramifications. Analysis of religious structures and representations which are concentrated and reified in sacred centres, shows remarkable agreement and linkage with political institutions and ideology through a common symbolism. The contributions to the symposium establish that sacred centres are the places par excellence where political authority is legitimized; they help to articulate these systematic aspects by making them the focus of scholarly discourse starting from different disciplines. |
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Abgar the Black Alawid apostle authority Bengal bishop brahmins Buddhist century Christian church claim Cōla Compostela court cult deity Devī devoted divine Duṭugämuņu dynasty Edessa Egeria Elāra Eusebius Fās festival fire Ganga Gelmírez goddess Gurjara-Pratīhāras H/AD Hindu holy honour Idrīs Idris II imperial India inscriptions Jagannatha Jesus Jhunjhunu Kalinga Kanauj Kashmir Kataragama Khurda King Abgar kingdom kingship Kṛṣṇa kṣetra Kulke legend letter Lord Madurai Marwari Marwari Agrawals mentioned Miknās Mīnākṣī Muḥammad Murukan myth Narasimha Nārāyaṇī Devī Nayaka odana Orissa palace Pālas pilgrimage pilgrims political prestige priests Pseudo-Turpin Puri Raja Rajasthan Rajputs Rāmacandra Ramtek Rāṇī Satī region religious ritual role royal ruler sacred centre sacrifice Saint James Śakti Sanskrit sati Satī temple secular shrine shurafa Simhacalam Sinhala Śiva Skanda social South Indian śrauta Śrī status Stein Sultan Ismail suttee symbol Tamil Tanjavur Telugu Thaddeus tradition Vākāṭaka Vijayanagara Vijayaraghava worship Yadava zawiya