The festival of Pīrs: popular Islam and shared devotion in South India

Synopsis

This Study Is About A Popular Manifestation Of Islamic Devotion That Embraces A Pluralist Setting, Keeping Itself In A Dynamic Dialogue With Non-muslim Practices. With Evidence From Various Public Devotional Narratives And Ritual Practices, The Author Argues That Even Universal Understanding Of Living Islam Remains Incomplete If We Do Not Consider This Locally Produced Pluralised Devotional Setting That Surrounds It. He Seeks To Address Various Aspects Of Local And Localised Islam Through An Examination Of Gugudu's Local And Popular Transformation Of Normative Islam, Giving Particular Focus To The Various Devotional Rituals That Blend Muslim And Hindu Practices In The Public Event Of Muharram. Introduction -- Gugudu : The Emergence Of A Shared Devotional Space -- The Pīr With A Cap : Narrating Kullayappa -- Kullayappa And The Public Rituals Of Muharram -- Faqīri : Practicing Temporary Asceticism -- Debating Rituals : The Politics Of True Islam -- Conclusion -- Glossary. Afsar Mohammad. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.