Researchers and academics at King’s College London examine shared shrines and changing state attitudes in South Asia
LONDON — More than two dozen scholars, academics and intellectuals gathered at King’s College London on Monday for a book launch and discussion on shared sacred sites and religious coexistence in South Asia.
The event, titled Shared Sacred Sites in South Asia: Negotiating Coexistence and Belonging, focused on the evolving dynamics around shrines and other places of worship shared by different faith communities.
Christophe Jaffrelot, Professor of Indian Politics and Sociology at the King’s India Institute, spoke about changing political and social conditions surrounding shared sacred sites, particularly shrines and dargahs.
Jaffrelot said there had been a marked shift in the relationship between the state and such sites. “The relationship between the state machinery and these places has changed the landscape, and it is very contradictory,” he said, noting the patronage that shrines historically received from rulers and state authorities.
He said the modern state has adopted a different approach to such sites, while the rise of ethnic nationalism has created further challenges for places shared by followers of different faiths.
According to Jaffrelot, these sites now face pressure not only from the state but also from right-wing political forces and Islamist movements. He said Islamist groups influenced by scripturalist traditions often view such places as problematic because of their association with Sufism.
He also referred to attempts by Hindu nationalist forces to discourage Hindus from visiting sacred sites associated with other religious communities.
“These places are challenged not only by the state but also by the rise of right-wing nationalist forces,” Jaffrelot said, adding that the book examines these pressures and considers what they could mean for the future of shared sacred sites.
Jaffrelot said the book is divided into five sections. The first examines how shared sacred sites function in different contexts. Another uses images to understand interactions at these sites, while a third considers the city as a unit of analysis.
He cited Amroha in Uttar Pradesh as one of the cases examined in the book and stressed that the issue cannot be understood by looking at a sacred site in isolation, as such places are also connected to the wider city.
The final section, he said, examines attacks and pressures on shared sacred sites, including those involving the state and nationalist forces.
Jaffrelot’s research focuses on the politics of religion and identity in India and Pakistan, caste and class in India, political economy, and the political demands of farmers.
He is currently involved in a collaborative research project on shared sacred sites in South Asia, as well as research on Muslims in India, elected representatives in India, and federalism in Pakistan.
The event also included presentations on other research and case studies featured in the book, followed by a question-and-answer session.
