Towards the Pilgrimage Archetype

Book excerpt: This book is the first detailed study on Panchakroshi and itsassociated inner sanctum, the Antargriha Yatra. At least since the15th century, devotees continuously perform pilgrimage on thesetwo circuits.The 108 shrines on the route are described with the help of manymaps and illustrations. The topics covered include, among others,the background of the archetypical nature of pilgrimage, the cosmicmandalas and the circulatory paths, the historical background of thePanchakroshi Yatra and its contextual growth, the context ofcardinality, the impact of change, the pilgrimage-cognitive maps,sacred territory and sacred time, religious experiences, thePanchakroshi Temple, the dharmashalas, the characteristics ofpilgrims, the circuit of the inner sanctum, the ecology of place andthe Improvement Plan. Finally, the book includes an exhaustive bibliography,followed by appendices giving information on shrines,temples, yatras, etc.