Publisher's Synopsis
In a detailed introduction, the editors present a critique of the divergent approaches to sufi studies from the early twentieth century to the present. The essays explore the methods adopted by the Punjab sufis to popularize the mystic ideology and praxis in the medieval socio-cultural milieu. These writings also delve into the different genres of sufi literature, both in the elite and vernacular languages, with a view to appreciate the nuances of Punjab sufism. Apart from the architectural features of the sufi shrines, attempts have been made to illumine the organic linkages between these institutions and the Punjabis and, thus, to underscore the sufic non communitarian devotion as a major ingredient of the Punjabi cultural fusion. Characterized by an engagement with inter-disciplinary tools of historical analysis, this volume is of interest to the students of history, sociology, anthropology, philosophy, literature and folklore.
