Sacred Groves and Local Gods
Subtitle: Religion And Environmentalism In South India
Publisher: Oxford University Press, Usa
Published: Apr 23, 2013
Language: eng
Format: paperback
Number of pages: 236
ISBN-13: 9780199895489
Description: "Sacred Groves and Local Gods traces a journey through Tamil Nadu, exploring how the localized meanings attached to forested shrines are changing under the impact of globalization and economic liberalization. Confounding simplistic representations of sacred groves as sites of a primitive form of nature worship, the book shows how local practices and beliefs regarding sacred groves are at once more imaginative, dynamic, and pragmatic than previously thought. Kent argues that rather than being ancient in origin, as has been asserted by other scholars, the religious beliefs, practices, and iconography found in sacred groves suggest origins in the politically de-centered eighteenth century, when the Tamil country was effectively ruled by local chieftains. She analyzes two projects undertaken by environmentalists that seek to harness the traditions surrounding sacred groves in the service of forest restoration and environmental education."--Publisher's description.
Notes: Source title: Sacred Groves and Local Gods: Religion And Environmentalism In South India