Rethinking India's Oral and Classical Epics: Draupadi among Rajputs, Muslims, and DalitsThroughout India and Southeast Asia, ancient classical epics—the Mahabharata and the Ramayana—continue to exert considerable cultural influence. Rethinking India's Oral and Classical Epics offers an unprecedented exploration into South Asia's regional epic traditions. Using his own fieldwork as a starting point, Alf Hiltebeitel analyzes how the oral tradition of the south Indian cult of the goddess Draupadi and five regional martial oral epics compare with one another and tie in with the Sanskrit epics. Drawing on literary theory and cultural studies, he reveals the shared subtexts of the Draupadi cult Mahabharata and the five oral epics, and shows how the traditional plots are twisted and classical characters reshaped to reflect local history and religion. In doing so, Hiltebeitel sheds new light on the intertwining oral traditions of medieval Rajput military culture, Dalits ("former Untouchables"), and Muslims. Breathtaking in scope, this work is indispensable for those seeking a deeper understanding of South Asia's Hindu and Muslim traditions. This work is the third volume in Hiltebeitel's study of the Draupadi cult. Other volumes include Mythologies: From Gingee to Kuruksetra (Volume One), On Hindu Ritual and the Goddess (Volume Two), and Rethinking the Mahabharata (Volume Four). |
Contents
1 | |
11 | |
3 The Elder Brothers and the Heroes of Palnadu | 48 |
4 The Epic of Pabuji | 88 |
5 Opening Alha | 121 |
6 The NineLakh Chain | 153 |
7 The Story of Krsnamsa | 211 |
8 Kuruksetra II | 240 |
10 Their Name Is Legion | 297 |
11 The Ballad of Raja Desing | 364 |
Furthering the Case of the Severed Head | 414 |
13 The Myth of the Agnivamsa | 439 |
14 Draupadi Becomes Bela Bela Becomes Sati | 476 |
Abbreviations | 513 |
515 | |
543 | |
Other editions - View all
Rethinking India's Oral and Classical Epics: Draupadi among Rajputs, Muslims ... Alf Hiltebeitel No preview available - 1999 |
Common terms and phrases
according Alha Anapotu appears army asks Banaphars battle become beginning Bela birth blood born Brahman brings brothers called caste century Chandel chap classical comes connection cult daughter death Delhi Desing divine DraupadI Elder brothers Elliot father fight final fire five follow Forest four further Gingee gives goddess hand head heroes Hiltebeitel Hindu horse husband incarnation Indian Kali Khan kill king Krsna Krsnamsa Ksatriyas latter leaves linked look Mahabharata Mahoba marriage marry martial means mentioned mother Muslim myth noted offers once oral epics origins Pabuji Palnadu Pandavas performed probably purana question Raja Rajput Raju reference regional relation ritual Roghair Sanskrit says seems seven Singh Siva Smith sons status story suggests Tamil tells temple themes tradition tree Udal virgin Visnu worship