A Retreating Goddess? Conflicting Perceptions of Ecological Change near the Gangotri-Gaumukh Glacier
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12901495 |
|---|---|
| Authors | G Drew (0000-0002-5087-7551, New School, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2012 |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 344-362 |
| Publication date | 2012-11-15 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal for the Study of Religion Nature and Culture (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1749-4907 • E-ISSN: 1749-4915 |
| Publisher | Equinox Publishing (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1558/jsrnc.v6i3.344 |
| OpenAlex | W1970697560 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 21 |
The Gangotri-Gaumukh glacier is a signi?cant body of ice in the Indian Himalayas whose loss could cause ecological turmoil, the disruption of livelihoods, and possibly even threaten the continuity of cultural-religious practices intertwined with the sacred Ganga River into which its runoff ?ows. Although there is reason to fear for the Ganga’s longevity, the issue of its potential decline is layered with ambiguity, uncertainty, and debate. In this article, I present the science-based discourse on glacial melt, which continues to evolve, along with ethnographically documented perspectives on retreating glaciers and other ecological transformations. I demonstrate how faith in the enduring nature of the Goddess Ganga impacts interpretations of environmental change, regardless of the climate change science, and how ideas about the river’s impermanence in Hindu texts can sometimes deter conservation efforts. In doing so I offer a variety of views that enlarge discussions about the causes for and the range of responses to climatic change
Archaeology · Buddhism · Climate change · Environmental ethics · Geography · Glacier · Hinduism · Impermanence · Livelihood · Physical geography · Sociology · Climate Change, Adaptation, Migration · Geographies of human-animal interactions · Philosophy · Religion, Ecology, and Ethics · Ecology
Does ecosystem services valuation reflect local cultural valuations? Comparative analysis of resident perspectives in four major urban river ecosystems
The Many Faces of a Himalayan Goddess
Religion and Climate Change
Climate Change
Winds of Change
A plural climate studies framework for the Himalayas
From Religious Beliefs to Environmental Engagement
Social Science Perspectives on Religion and Climate Change
Islamic Discourses of Environmental Change on the Swahili Coast of Southern Tanzania
Imagining Himalayan Glacial Futures
Vital Matter
Glaciers, gender, and science
Glaciers and society
Religion and climate change
The spiritual significance of glaciers in an age of climate change
Conservation planning for the Ganga River
Against Spiritual Ecology
Impacts of Glacier Recession and Declining Meltwater on Mountain Societies
Beyond environmental science
The Reincarnation of Waste
Gods of the Anthropocene
| Unique citing works | 21 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,75 |
| Citation span | 2014 - 2026 (13) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 20 |