| Publication |
2013.
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| Summary/Abstract |
The transformation of 'guru devotion' centres as pilgrimage destinations is a growing phenomenon in contemporary Indian religious practice. In this study, we consider how the town of Shirdi, in Maharashtra, is undergoing rapid transformation as it emerges as a religious tourism destination at the epicentre of the global Sai Baba movement. Since the 1918 death of Sai Baba, a Maharashtrian saint, Shirdi has grown from a rural hamlet to a bustling town with some thirty thousand permanent residents and an estimated annual influx of eight million short-term visitors. Focusing on Shirdi as a centre of guru devotion, we examine how socio-spatial transformations have created a new mosaic of regional pluralism at the site. While the coexistence of different communities is one of the hallmarks of religious pluralism in India, we argue that the complementary compartmentalisation of co-religionists hailing from different regions is a significant outcome of rapid urbanisation at pilgrimage sites, particularly those associated with guru devotion.
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