{"product_id":"the-biography-of-a-god-mahasu-in-the-himalayas-9789463726658","title":"The Biography of a God: Mahasu in the Himalayas","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMahasu is the joint name of four gods whose influence is widespread throughout the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Like other deities in the Western Himalayas, they are regarded as royal gods who rule over territories and people. This book traces changes in faith and practices surrounding the Mahasu brothers, and shows how the locals understand these changes by emphasizing the dominant role of humans in the decisions of the gods. The locals are also constantly testing the authenticity of the human mediumship. Thus, the book presents the claim that the gap between local conceptions of divinity and the perceptions of anthropologists regarding gods may be narrower than we think.\u003cbr\u003e \u003ccite\u003eThe Biography of a God: Mahasu in the Himalayas\u003c\/cite\u003e is based on ethnographic research, resulting in an important contribution to the study of Indian village deities, Himalayan Hinduism, lived Hinduism, and the anthropology of religion.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTable of contents \u003cbr\u003eNotes on Transliteration \u003cbr\u003eAcknowledgment \u003cbr\u003eMeet Mahasu \u003cbr\u003e1. Gods on the Road \u003cbr\u003eGetting into the Field \u003cbr\u003eThe Devta Institution \u003cbr\u003e2. A Stormy Biography \u003cbr\u003eMahasu Appears Vs.1 \u003cbr\u003eMahasu Appears Vs.2 \u003cbr\u003eThe Gods They are a-Changin’ \u003cbr\u003e3. The Four Brothers \u003cbr\u003ePersonalities and Identities \u003cbr\u003eThe Four Kings \u003cbr\u003eMahasu as Shiva \u003cbr\u003eGods Between Here and Everywhere \u003cbr\u003e4. Local Traditions in Times of Change \u003cbr\u003eLocal Rituals Fade, Gods Persevere \u003cbr\u003eFrom Carnivore to Vegetarian \u003cbr\u003eWhen Gods Settle Down \u003cbr\u003eThe Agency of Mahasu \u003cbr\u003e5. Communicating with Mahasu \u003cbr\u003eThe God's Management \u003cbr\u003eMediums \u003cbr\u003eTalking with Mahasu \u003cbr\u003eTesting Mediums \u003cbr\u003eAgency, Doubt, Mediation \u003cbr\u003eIndex","brand":"Amsterdam University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49427753075031,"sku":"9789463726658","price":91.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/the-biography-of-a-god-mahasu-in-the-himalayas-9789463726658","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}