THE RISE OF A FOLK GOD: Vitthal of Pandharpur

Vitthal, also called Vithoba, is the most popular Hindu god in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. He is also among the best-known gods outside India. His temple at Pandharpur attracts one of the largest and most elaborate annual pilgrimages in the world. This book is the foremost study of the history of Vitthal, his worship, and his worshippers. First published in Marathi in 1984, it remains the most thorough and insightful work on Vitthal and his cult in any language, and provides an exemplary model for understanding the history and morphology of lived Hinduism. Vitthal exemplifies the synthesis of Vaishnava and Shaiva elements that not only typifies Maharashtrian Hindu religious life but also marks Vitthals resemblance to another prominent South Indian god, Venkatesh of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. Dheres analysis highlights Vitthals connection with pastoralist hero cults, and demonstrates the gods development from a god of shepherds to a god of the majority of the population. In addition, Dhere explores the connections of Vitthal with Buddhist and Jain traditions. The books final chapter presents a culminating stage in the evolution of the worship of Vitthal: the interpretation in spiritual terms of the god, his temple, the town of Pandharpur, and the river that flows past the town.