Routledge - Health and Religious Rituals in South Asia Book

Explore the complex connections between spirituality and physical well-being in this academic study from Routledge. Based on original fieldwork, Health and Religious Rituals in South Asia: Disease, Possession and Healing offers a new methodological approach to understanding how indigenous cultures view illness. This book examines the definitions of disease, possession, and healing across various South Asian religious traditions, including Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and Sikhism. Readers will learn how individuals negotiate health through their relationship with the divine. The text investigates the roles of gods, goddesses, and spirits, looking at how they serve as both the cause of certain ailments and the remedy for them. This work provides a deep look into the cultural contexts of South Asian healing rituals and the diverse ways people manage health and wellbeing through religious practice.