Interpreting the Muscular Ram Statue in Procession

Bibliographic Data

ID11403096
AuthorsAna De Souza (0000-0003-1914-4496, McGill University, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume49
Publication date2021-12-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueArc The Journal of the School of Religious Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0229-2807 • E-ISSN: 2817-1799
PublisherMcGill University Library and Archives (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.26443/arc.v49i.295
OpenAlexW4386766574
LanguageEN
Citations received1

distinctive Ram statue was used in Hyderabad, Telangana, in the annual shobha yatra (grace procession) between 2012 and 2018 for the occasion of Ram Navami, the festival of Ram's birthday. 1This festival occurs each year in the larger program of Spring Navratri.Yatra translates from Hindi as "procession," and is used to refer to both religious and political variants, while shobha commonly translates as "grace."The two terms together highlight the religious aspects of the procession and its place in the ritual calendar.The first public shobha yatra in Hyderabad occurred in 2010.Previously, it was a more relaxed affair that was celebrated in private.This change occurred in response to the Milad-un-Nabi celebrations of the Hyderabadi Muslim community becoming public for the first time in 2010, just a few weeks before that year's Ram Navami. 2 The last yatra I have information about is 2018.Personal and academic factors made it impractical to continue to follow the Hyderabadi yatra after this date.However, the impact of pandemic restrictions on the yatra would be fascinating to discuss.A cursory search suggests that there were some changes made to Ram's face in post-pandemic 1

Ancient history · Art · Procession · Statue · Visual arts · Archaeology and Historical Studies · Eurasian Exchange Networks · History · Islamic Studies and History