Academic Journal

"Dattātreya's Dwelling Place" Socio-religious Dynamics at a Contemporary Urban Temple under a Holy Tree.

Bibliographic Details
Title: "Dattātreya's Dwelling Place" Socio-religious Dynamics at a Contemporary Urban Temple under a Holy Tree.
Authors: Larios, Borayin, Rajopadhye, Hemant
Source: Cracow Indological Studies; 2023, Vol. 25 Issue 1, p185-213, 29p
Abstract: The Śrī Gurudeva Datta Mandir is a modern Hindu temple constructed around the udumbara tree (ficus racemora) believed to be the mythical dwelling place of the antinomian god Dattātreya. Originally located in a public park, the temple is now an independently registered trust and is widely recognized as one of the most prominent and celebrated Hindu places of worship in the affluent residential area of Deccan Gymkhana in Pune, India. In this article, we examine how the natural and built environment, along with religious practices, are constantly reconfigured and renegotiated by various actors catering to the contemporary sensitivities of the urban Hindu middle classes. We argue that to understand urban religious spaces like the Śrī Gurudeva Datta Mandir, it is essential to consider how cultural, religious, and political sensitivities converge to give material form to these spaces. Through an analysis of the temple, the deity of Dattātreya, and the udumbara tree, we explore the complex interplay of these forces and their role in shaping contemporary Hindu religious practices and beliefs in urban India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Subject Terms: TEMPLES, BUILT environment, MIDDLE class, DWELLINGS, HINDU temples, GODS, RESIDENTIAL areas, HINDUS
Geographic Terms: PUNE (India), MAHARASHTRA (India)
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ISSN: 17320917
DOI: 10.12797/CIS.25.2023.01.06
Database: Complementary Index