Storied Hills
On Landscape, Narratives and Sacredness of Ahobilam Cover Image

Storied Hills On Landscape, Narratives and Sacredness of Ahobilam
Storied Hills On Landscape, Narratives and Sacredness of Ahobilam

Author(s): Ewa Dębicka-Borek
Subject(s): Customs / Folklore, Other Language Literature, Cultural Anthropology / Ethnology, Theory of Literature
Published by: KSIĘGARNIA AKADEMICKA Sp. z o.o.
Keywords: Ahobilam; sacredness; nature; culture; Ahobilamāhātmya; Narasiṃha; cultural ecology of literature; landscape;

Summary/Abstract: Taking as the point of departure the Ahobilamāhātmya narra- tives that depict local hills as Narasiṃha‘s residence, the paper considers those hill narratives as a product of interrelatedness of nature and culture and examines the crucial role such a product may play in vesting Ahobilam with the notion of sacredness. To this end, the narratives‘ ability to mediate various concepts is explored from the wider perspective of cultural ecology of literature, which allows them to be viewed as a site where besides nature and culture other domains can be reintegrated and reconciled, e.g., the elements of local and Brahmanic traditions. In addition, as I argue, such narratives may also convey some shifts in perceiving the landscape.

  • Issue Year: 25/2023
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 113-158
  • Page Count: 46
  • Language: English