The Formation of Devotional Communities in North India

As part of my doctoral studies at McGill, I will conduct archival research on the formation of bhakti (devotional) communities in North India. I will focus on the Ramanandi Sampraday, which formed around the fourteenth-century Hindu guru Ramananda and is still one of the largest ascetic sects in Hinduism today. There are many stories written by and about his followers, including popular poet-saints like Kabir and Ravidas. I will obtain scans and complete translations of historical texts and literary manuscripts written in Hindi, Braj Bhasa (a language related to modern Hindi), and Sanskrit that have not yet been edited, translated, or published. I will collaborate with Professor Pratyay Nath, a history professor at Ashoka University in Delhi during this project, and I will visit libraries and archives in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. I plan to present the results of my research at academic conferences and use it in my dissertation.

Faculty Supervisor:

Hamsa Stainton

Student:

Partner:

Ashoka University

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education

University:

McGill University

Program: