From Fieldwork to Research Theory on an Indian Pilgrimage
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/firn.v1i2.105Keywords:
Pilgrimage, South IndiaAbstract
Using as the example of the pilgrimage to Sabarimala (Kerala, South India), I propose here to explore the links existing between sources, research hypothesis and research theory in social sciences. The choice of research materials in the process of investigation, sources of knowledge about the studied object, is not mere random sampling; it is processed in accordance with the questions of the researcher. It inevitably assumes a selective dimension. After a critical reading of the sources used by Indian studies, I will highlight on the connections between the sources and the methodological tools on the one hand, and the major research hypothesis about pilgrimage on the other. The links between the data taken from the field and the legitimacy of scientific discourse on India will be examined at the end before providing some keys for the interpretation of Sabarimala phenomenon in South India during the contemporary period.
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References
Primary Sources
Achyuta Menon, C., 1911, The Cochin State Manual. Cochin. Ernakulam: Government Press.
Balakrishnan Nair T.P., 1992, Sabarimala Theerthtanavum Akkunnil Dharmasasthavum (Sabarimala Pilgrimage Akkunil Dharma Sastav). Manickamangalam: Alangattu Yogam.
Chandrasekhara Menon, T. (Justice), 2000, Commission of Inquiry on Stampede Tragedy at Sabarimala. Final Report. Volume I–IV (with Annexures & Appendices).
Gurukkal, R., and Raju, 2001, Report on Sabarimala Enclave Management. School of Social Sciences. Kottayam: Mahatma Gandhi University.
The High Power Commission appointed by The Honourable High Court of Kerala, July 1990. Interim Report on Sabarimalai.
Jayashanker, S., 1987, Temples of Kerala. Kerala: Census of India (Special Studies).
Madras Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1951, Act 19 of 1951, 1951. In Kerala Laws Manual 3: 929-1063.
Nagam Aiya, V., 1906. Travancore State Manual. Trivandrum, 3 vol.
Pathanamthitta Press Club and Periyar Tiger Reserve, 27 March 1999. Proceedings of the Workshop on Sabarimala Pilgrims, people and ecology. Pathanamthitta.
Malayala Manorama, Seminar on Sabarimala Development. Workshop organized by Malayala Manorama, 15 October 1995, Kottayam.
The Malabar Hindu Religious and Charitable Institutions and Endowment Bill, 2001. Bill n°40, Eleventh Kerala, Legislative Assembly.
The Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act, Act 15 of 1950 (1950), In Travancore Devaswom Manual, vols. 1 & 2. 1956. Trivandrum: Published under the Authority of The Travancore Devaswom Board: 39-146.
Travancore Devaswom Manual, vols. 1 & 2, 1956. Trivandrum: Published under the Authority of The Travancore Devaswom Board.
Vaidyanathan, K.R., 1992. Pilgrimage to Sabari. Bombay: Bhavan’s Book University.
Velu, Pillai, T.K., 1940, Travancore State Manual. Trivandrum: Government of Travancore, 4 vol.
Venugopal, (17 December 2000, 24 December 2000, 31 December 2000, 7 January 2001, 21 January 2002, 28 January 2002, 4 February 2002, 11 February 2002), Kalakaumudi.
Secondary Sources
Adiceam, M.E., 1967, Contributions à l’étude d’Aiyanar-Sasta. Pondicherry: French Institue of Indology.
Alexander, P.C., 1949, Buddhism in Kerala. Chidambaram: Annamalai University.
Anderson, B., 1983., Imagined Communities. Reflexions on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism. London: Verso.
Arunachalam, M., 1977, ‘The Sasta (Aiyanar) Cult in Tamil Nadu’. Madras: Bulletin of the Institute of Traditional Cultures: 17-51.
Blackburn, S., 2003, Print, Folklore, and Nationalism in Colonial South India. Delhi: Permanent Black.
Bhardwaj, S.M., 1973, Hindu Sacred Places in India. A Study in Cultural Geography. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Clothey, F.W., 1982, ‘Sasta-Aiyannar-Aiyyappan: The God as a Prism of Social History’. In F.W. Clothey (ed.), Images of Man: Religion and Historical Process in South Asia. Madras: New Era Publications: 34-71.
Cohn, Bernard S., 1987, An Anthropologist among the Historians and Other Essays. Oxford University Press, New Delhi.
Delage, R., 2004a, ‘Les outils et les matériaux de la recherche indianiste: quelques réflexions de géographe’. Seminar Paper presented at ‘La journée de la géographie’, MSH, University of Bordeaux III.
—2004b, ‘Graphic Representations of the Sabarimala Pilgrimage (Kerala)’. In C.Z. Guilmoto et al. (eds.), Mapping Out Social Change in South India. A Geographic Information System and its Applications, Pondy Papers in Social Sciences (31): 45-64.
—2004c, ‘Les formes géographiques du pèlerinage à Sabarimala en Inde du sud: reseaux, pouvoirs et figures de rhétorique identitaire’. Unpublished Thesis of Geography, University de Bordeaux III, Bordeaux.
Diouf, M., (ed.), 1999, L’historiographie indienne en débat. Colonialisme, nationalisme et sociétés postcoloniales. Paris: Karthala-Sephis.
Jeffrey, R., 2000, India’s Newspaper Revolution. Capitalism, Politics and the Indian-Language Press 1977–99. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Karashima, N., 2001, History and Society in South India. The Cholas to Vijayanagar. Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Kerr, Ian J., 2001, ‘Reworking a Popular Religious Practice: The Effects of Railways on Pilgrimage in 19th and 20th Century South Asia’. In Ian J. Kerr (ed.), Railways in Modern India, New Delhi: Oxford University Press: 304-27.
Kjaerholm, L., 1991, ‘Aiyanar and Aiyappan in Tamil Nadu: Change and Continuity in South Indian Hinduism’. In Jha, M., (ed.), Social Anthropology of Pilgrimage. New Delhi: InterIndia Publications: 48-80.
Levy, J., and M. Lusssault (dir.), 2003, Dictionnaire de la géographie et de l’espace des sociétés. Paris: Belin.
Lutgendorf, P., 1990, ‘Ramayan: The Video’. Drama Review (2): 128.
Manuel, P., 1993, Cassette Culture. Popular Music and Technology in North India. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Morinis, A.E., 1984, Pilgrimage in the Hindu Tradition. A Case Study of West Bengal. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Park, Chris C., 1994, Sacred Worlds. An Introduction to Geography and Religion. London: Routledge.
Pouchepadass, J., 2000, ‘Les Subaltern studies ou la critique postcoloniale de la modernité’. L’Homme (156), Intellectuels en diaspora et théories nomades. http://lhomme. revues.org/document75.html.
Raju, S., 2002, ‘Excursus on South India and State in Historiography’. In R. Champakalakshmi, Kesavan Veluthat, and T.R. Venugopalan, (eds.), State and Society in Pre-Modern South India. Thrissur: Cosmobooks: 183-216.
Richman, P., (ed.), 2000, Questioning Multiple Ramayanas. A South Asian Tradition. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Roy, B.K., 1987, ‘Census Count of Religions of India (1901–1981), and Contemporary Issues’. The National Geographical Journal of India 33(3): 239-252.
Sastri, K.A.N., 1975 [1955], A History of South India: From Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Sekar, R., 1992, The Sabarimala Pilgrimage and Ayyappan Cultus. Motilal. Delhi: Banarsidas Publishers.
Sopher, David E., 1967, Geography of Religion. Prentice-Hall.
Stein, B., 1977, ‘Circulation and the Historical Geography of Tamil Country’. The Journal of Asian Studies 37(1): 7-26.
Stein, B., 1980, Peasant State and Society in Medieval South India. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
—1984, ‘Temples in Tamil Country, 1300–1750 A.D’. In B. Stein, All the Kings’ Mana: Papers on Medieval South Indian History. Madras: New Era Publications: 118-160.
Tarabout, G., 1997, ‘L’évolution des cultes dans les temples hindous. L’exemple du Kérala (Inde du sud)’. In C. Clementin-Ojha (ed.)., Renouveaux religieux en Asie. Paris: EFEO Press: 127-54.
Websites cited
www.ayyappa.com
www.censusindiamaps.net/states/kerala.htm
www.sabarimalathanthri.com
www.saranamayyappa.org
Achyuta Menon, C., 1911, The Cochin State Manual. Cochin. Ernakulam: Government Press.
Balakrishnan Nair T.P., 1992, Sabarimala Theerthtanavum Akkunnil Dharmasasthavum (Sabarimala Pilgrimage Akkunil Dharma Sastav). Manickamangalam: Alangattu Yogam.
Chandrasekhara Menon, T. (Justice), 2000, Commission of Inquiry on Stampede Tragedy at Sabarimala. Final Report. Volume I–IV (with Annexures & Appendices).
Gurukkal, R., and Raju, 2001, Report on Sabarimala Enclave Management. School of Social Sciences. Kottayam: Mahatma Gandhi University.
The High Power Commission appointed by The Honourable High Court of Kerala, July 1990. Interim Report on Sabarimalai.
Jayashanker, S., 1987, Temples of Kerala. Kerala: Census of India (Special Studies).
Madras Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1951, Act 19 of 1951, 1951. In Kerala Laws Manual 3: 929-1063.
Nagam Aiya, V., 1906. Travancore State Manual. Trivandrum, 3 vol.
Pathanamthitta Press Club and Periyar Tiger Reserve, 27 March 1999. Proceedings of the Workshop on Sabarimala Pilgrims, people and ecology. Pathanamthitta.
Malayala Manorama, Seminar on Sabarimala Development. Workshop organized by Malayala Manorama, 15 October 1995, Kottayam.
The Malabar Hindu Religious and Charitable Institutions and Endowment Bill, 2001. Bill n°40, Eleventh Kerala, Legislative Assembly.
The Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act, Act 15 of 1950 (1950), In Travancore Devaswom Manual, vols. 1 & 2. 1956. Trivandrum: Published under the Authority of The Travancore Devaswom Board: 39-146.
Travancore Devaswom Manual, vols. 1 & 2, 1956. Trivandrum: Published under the Authority of The Travancore Devaswom Board.
Vaidyanathan, K.R., 1992. Pilgrimage to Sabari. Bombay: Bhavan’s Book University.
Velu, Pillai, T.K., 1940, Travancore State Manual. Trivandrum: Government of Travancore, 4 vol.
Venugopal, (17 December 2000, 24 December 2000, 31 December 2000, 7 January 2001, 21 January 2002, 28 January 2002, 4 February 2002, 11 February 2002), Kalakaumudi.
Secondary Sources
Adiceam, M.E., 1967, Contributions à l’étude d’Aiyanar-Sasta. Pondicherry: French Institue of Indology.
Alexander, P.C., 1949, Buddhism in Kerala. Chidambaram: Annamalai University.
Anderson, B., 1983., Imagined Communities. Reflexions on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism. London: Verso.
Arunachalam, M., 1977, ‘The Sasta (Aiyanar) Cult in Tamil Nadu’. Madras: Bulletin of the Institute of Traditional Cultures: 17-51.
Blackburn, S., 2003, Print, Folklore, and Nationalism in Colonial South India. Delhi: Permanent Black.
Bhardwaj, S.M., 1973, Hindu Sacred Places in India. A Study in Cultural Geography. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Clothey, F.W., 1982, ‘Sasta-Aiyannar-Aiyyappan: The God as a Prism of Social History’. In F.W. Clothey (ed.), Images of Man: Religion and Historical Process in South Asia. Madras: New Era Publications: 34-71.
Cohn, Bernard S., 1987, An Anthropologist among the Historians and Other Essays. Oxford University Press, New Delhi.
Delage, R., 2004a, ‘Les outils et les matériaux de la recherche indianiste: quelques réflexions de géographe’. Seminar Paper presented at ‘La journée de la géographie’, MSH, University of Bordeaux III.
—2004b, ‘Graphic Representations of the Sabarimala Pilgrimage (Kerala)’. In C.Z. Guilmoto et al. (eds.), Mapping Out Social Change in South India. A Geographic Information System and its Applications, Pondy Papers in Social Sciences (31): 45-64.
—2004c, ‘Les formes géographiques du pèlerinage à Sabarimala en Inde du sud: reseaux, pouvoirs et figures de rhétorique identitaire’. Unpublished Thesis of Geography, University de Bordeaux III, Bordeaux.
Diouf, M., (ed.), 1999, L’historiographie indienne en débat. Colonialisme, nationalisme et sociétés postcoloniales. Paris: Karthala-Sephis.
Jeffrey, R., 2000, India’s Newspaper Revolution. Capitalism, Politics and the Indian-Language Press 1977–99. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Karashima, N., 2001, History and Society in South India. The Cholas to Vijayanagar. Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Kerr, Ian J., 2001, ‘Reworking a Popular Religious Practice: The Effects of Railways on Pilgrimage in 19th and 20th Century South Asia’. In Ian J. Kerr (ed.), Railways in Modern India, New Delhi: Oxford University Press: 304-27.
Kjaerholm, L., 1991, ‘Aiyanar and Aiyappan in Tamil Nadu: Change and Continuity in South Indian Hinduism’. In Jha, M., (ed.), Social Anthropology of Pilgrimage. New Delhi: InterIndia Publications: 48-80.
Levy, J., and M. Lusssault (dir.), 2003, Dictionnaire de la géographie et de l’espace des sociétés. Paris: Belin.
Lutgendorf, P., 1990, ‘Ramayan: The Video’. Drama Review (2): 128.
Manuel, P., 1993, Cassette Culture. Popular Music and Technology in North India. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Morinis, A.E., 1984, Pilgrimage in the Hindu Tradition. A Case Study of West Bengal. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Park, Chris C., 1994, Sacred Worlds. An Introduction to Geography and Religion. London: Routledge.
Pouchepadass, J., 2000, ‘Les Subaltern studies ou la critique postcoloniale de la modernité’. L’Homme (156), Intellectuels en diaspora et théories nomades. http://lhomme. revues.org/document75.html.
Raju, S., 2002, ‘Excursus on South India and State in Historiography’. In R. Champakalakshmi, Kesavan Veluthat, and T.R. Venugopalan, (eds.), State and Society in Pre-Modern South India. Thrissur: Cosmobooks: 183-216.
Richman, P., (ed.), 2000, Questioning Multiple Ramayanas. A South Asian Tradition. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Roy, B.K., 1987, ‘Census Count of Religions of India (1901–1981), and Contemporary Issues’. The National Geographical Journal of India 33(3): 239-252.
Sastri, K.A.N., 1975 [1955], A History of South India: From Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Sekar, R., 1992, The Sabarimala Pilgrimage and Ayyappan Cultus. Motilal. Delhi: Banarsidas Publishers.
Sopher, David E., 1967, Geography of Religion. Prentice-Hall.
Stein, B., 1977, ‘Circulation and the Historical Geography of Tamil Country’. The Journal of Asian Studies 37(1): 7-26.
Stein, B., 1980, Peasant State and Society in Medieval South India. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
—1984, ‘Temples in Tamil Country, 1300–1750 A.D’. In B. Stein, All the Kings’ Mana: Papers on Medieval South Indian History. Madras: New Era Publications: 118-160.
Tarabout, G., 1997, ‘L’évolution des cultes dans les temples hindous. L’exemple du Kérala (Inde du sud)’. In C. Clementin-Ojha (ed.)., Renouveaux religieux en Asie. Paris: EFEO Press: 127-54.
Websites cited
www.ayyappa.com
www.censusindiamaps.net/states/kerala.htm
www.sabarimalathanthri.com
www.saranamayyappa.org
Published
2005-09-01
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Section
Articles
How to Cite
Delage, R. (2005). From Fieldwork to Research Theory on an Indian Pilgrimage. Fieldwork in Religion, 1(2), 105-121. https://doi.org/10.1558/firn.v1i2.105
