Nabadwip, an ancient centre of Sanskritic studies in Bengal, is one of the most sacred places in eastern India, manifesting how a single sacred centre over time was developed into a cluster, later a segment, and ultimately a sacred zone. When it was turned into a segment called Kshetra, circumambulation as a ritual was initiated from the spirit of sacrality. The sacred centres of diversified faiths relating to Hindu cosmogony are prominent in various tiers and layers of the circumambulation route. This chapter evaluates how Nabadwip, presently a municipal town severely affected by river bank erosion and course change of the holy Ganga, served as the salad bowl of various cultures for centuries, inspiring Hindu devotees of different sects for its sanctity. Extensive fieldwork has been conducted to study the symbolic and sacred geography of Nabadwip, a settlement whose history is traced back to the eleventh century as a centre of learning Hindu scriptures and philosophy. Participant observation during circumambulation, questionnaire survey, key informant interviews, and focus group discussion are the main methods used in the study. The study highlights how, from the sacred segment, a sacred zone is emerging, particularly for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, a world-famous spiritual organization near Nabadwip at Mayapur.

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Transformation of the Sacred Town of Nabadwip: A Study of Religious Superimposition and Adaptability

  • Saswati Das,
  • Premangshu Chakrabarty

摘要

Nabadwip, an ancient centre of Sanskritic studies in Bengal, is one of the most sacred places in eastern India, manifesting how a single sacred centre over time was developed into a cluster, later a segment, and ultimately a sacred zone. When it was turned into a segment called Kshetra, circumambulation as a ritual was initiated from the spirit of sacrality. The sacred centres of diversified faiths relating to Hindu cosmogony are prominent in various tiers and layers of the circumambulation route. This chapter evaluates how Nabadwip, presently a municipal town severely affected by river bank erosion and course change of the holy Ganga, served as the salad bowl of various cultures for centuries, inspiring Hindu devotees of different sects for its sanctity. Extensive fieldwork has been conducted to study the symbolic and sacred geography of Nabadwip, a settlement whose history is traced back to the eleventh century as a centre of learning Hindu scriptures and philosophy. Participant observation during circumambulation, questionnaire survey, key informant interviews, and focus group discussion are the main methods used in the study. The study highlights how, from the sacred segment, a sacred zone is emerging, particularly for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, a world-famous spiritual organization near Nabadwip at Mayapur.