Towards the Pilgrimage Archetype the Pancakroshi Yatra of Banaras

This book is the first detailed study on Panchakroshi and itsassociated inner sanctum, the Antargriha Yatra.

Assuming itself as the centre of the cosmos, Kasi (Varanasi, Banaras) has preserved up to date its mandalic system, which is experienced and revived by millions of devotees Hindus through pilgrimage. At least since the 15th century, devotees continuously perform pilgrimage on thesetwo circuits.The oral and mythological traditions of pilgrimage are narrated with a combination of histroical, experiential, cultural, statistical, spatial and Indological perspectives.

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.