You must sign in to add this item to your wishlist. Please sign in or create an account
This book critically examines the paradoxical status of Doms, as both essential facilitators of salvation and as a community positioned outside the varna hierarchy. Through an ethnographic study of daily interactions among various service castes at the cremation ghats of Banaras, the book explores the structural and spatial dynamics of this highly spiritualised domain.
Furthermore, the study interrogates the evolving intersections between tradition and modernity within the death industry. It examines how different specialist castes collaborate in contemporary funeral practices and how technological advancements, particularly the introduction of electric crematoria, challenge deeply ingrained religious beliefs surrounding last rites. The analysis highlights the ongoing tension between modern cremation technologies and traditional funeral practices, revealing the socio-religious resistance to mechanised cremation and its implications for the livelihoods of those engaged in the death economy.
Additionally, the book addresses the unprecedented disruptions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a state of normlessness at cremation sites. It provides an in-depth examination of the pathological conditions during the crisis, the adaptive strategies employed by communities to navigate the 'new normal' in death rites, and the broader socio-economic consequences for the Dom, mourners, and other stakeholders. Lastly, it critically evaluates the role of the state in managing the crisis and its impact on funeral practices in Banaras.
Published | 30 Nov 2025 |
---|---|
Format | Hardback |
Edition | 1st |
Extent | 300 |
ISBN | 9789361315619 |
Imprint | Bloomsbury Academic India |
Dimensions | 216 x 135 mm |
Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing India Pvt. Ltd |
Your School account is not valid for the India site. You have been logged out of your account.
You are on the India site. Would you like to go to the United States site?
Error message.