From prayer beads to the mechanical counter
The negotiation of chanting practices within a Hindu group
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 4953161 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Urmila Mohan (0000-0002-7174-0140, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2016 |
| Volume | 174 |
| Pages | 191-212 |
| Publication date | 2016-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Archives de sciences sociales des religions (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0335-5985 • E-ISSN: 1777-5825 |
| Publisher | OpenEdition (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.4000/assr.27792 |
| OpenAlex | W2586333509 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 15 |
This paper compares the use of older and newer technologies in Hindu chanting through the example of Iskcon (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) devotees. Iskcon is global but has spiritual roots in West Bengal, India, and devotees try to connect with the deity Krishna through daily chanting. The use of prayer beads is compared to the mechanical counter, the haptics of chanting is linked to the co-ordination of mental and physical rhythms and the material affordances of the two devices are related to their respective effects. By analysing the views and practices of Indian and non-Indian devotees in different situations, technological changes are related to social changes and perceptions of time. Internal debates surrounding the use of the counter expose tensions between secular and sacred time, and indicate negotiations that accompany devotional performance within a contemporary landscape
Prayer · Historical and Architectural Studies · Philosophy · Religious studies
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,22 |
| Citation span | 2017 - 2024 (8) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |