King of Hunters, Warriors, and Shepherds

Günther-Dietz Sontheimer (1934-92) taught History of Religions and Philosophy of South Asia, traditional Hindu Law (Dharamasastra), as well as Marathi language and literature at the South Asia Institute of the University of Heidelberg. From 1966 onwards he conducted field research on Indian folk culture, especially on the oral traditions, religion and customs of pastoral communities in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Anne Feldhaus is a Distinguished Foundation Professor of Religious Studies, at Arizona State University. She specializes in anthropological, philological, and religious studies in Maharashtra. Aditya Malik is Founding Professor in Humanities and Social Sciences at Plaksha University. His research and publications focus on oral traditions and ritual performance; religion, social justice and law; historiography; as well as the intersections of humanities, social sciences and technology. Heidrun Brückner is Professor of Indology in the Department of Indology and Comparative Religion at the University of Tübingen.

• ContentsForeword 7Introduction 11Abbreviations 171. Some Incidents in the History of the God Khancloba 192. The Mallari/Khancloba Myth as Reflected in Folk Art and Ritual 343. Dasara at Devaraguckla: Ritual and Play in the Cult of Mailar/Khancloba 634. Rudra and Khandoba: Continuity in Folk Religion 875. Between Ghost and God: A Folk Deity of the Deccan 1146. The Myth of the God and his Two Wives: Two Pastoral Versions from Maharashtra 1547. God as the King for All: The Sanskrit Mallari Mcihatmya and Its Context 2088. Bhakti in the Khancloba Cult 2369. All the God's Wives 25910. King Khancloba's Hunt and His Encounter with Banal, the Shepherdess 278Bibliography 323Index 333