Feranvali(goddess), 161; characteristics
of, 166; possession by, 162, 164
Serials, televised, 144; popularity, 145
Fesa (divine serpent), 240
Shahul Hamid dargah, 266–70; Hindu
worshippers at, 267; negotiated space
at, 268
Shaiva. SeeFaiva
Shakta. SeeFakta
Shakti(power), 268
Shaktism (goddess worship), 174. See
also Fakti(feminine creative principle)
Shaunaka (commentator), 292; Brihadde-
vata, 295
Sherring, M. A., 44
Shiva: as ascetic, 108; as formless force,
182–83; goddess associations of, 161;
mudrasof, 51; narratives of, 14;
princely representations of, 117; in
Ramlilasof Ramnagar, 118, 128, 132;
as static principle, 252; supremacy of,
49; symbolism of, 252; tilakmark of,
41
Shivaji (Maratha leader), 6
Shri Guru Ravidas Sabha (Woodside,
Queens), 22–23
Shrines, wayside, 42
Shrines, household, 34, 37; paraphernalia
for, 39
Shrines, Muslim, Hindu worshippers at,
266–68, 270
Shudras (laborer caste), 13; in Holi festi-
val, 13, 108, 109
Shukla, Ramnarayan, 149
Sikand, Yoginder, 28n16
Sikhs, gurus of, 209
Singh, Charan. SeeMaharajji
Singh, Dara, 145
Singh, Raja Pratap, 266–67
Singh, Vibhuti Narain, 137nn2,4, See also
Maharajas, of Varanasi
Singing, 163; choral, 104; devotional, 235,
236; gali, 119; at Holi festival, 104;
possession during, 164, 165, 168; in
Ramlilasof Ramnagar, 119; of Ravi-
das, 204
Sisle Hazrat Islam, tomb of, 262, 263
Sita (consort of Ram): in Divali festival,
91, 94; incantations to, 134; narratives
of, 14; in Ramlilasof Ramnagar, 116,
122, 126, 128, 132; in televised
Ramayana, 145
Siva. SeeShiva
Siyaju. SeeSita (consort of Ram)
Smart, Ninian, 253
Society, Hindu: caste in, 13–14; polycen-
tric, 48
Special effects, televised, 152
Spirit: and matter, 161, 166
Spirit possession, 159; malevolent, 162;
and spirit mediumship, 169n4. See also
Goddess possession
Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty 276–77,
286n14
Spouses: kinship between, 66; selection
of, 67–68. See alsoMarriage
Sri Govardhanpur (Banaras), 199, 214n1;
Ravidas temple in, 207; Untouchables
of, 204–5, 209
Sri Harsha, dialectic of, 292
Srirangam (Tamil Nadu), 35
Srivaisnava communities: origin of, 233;
outreach by, 234; in Penn Hills, PA,
24, 231–47
Srivaisnava theology, 238–47; idolatry in,
238–39; Satyanarayana worship in,
241; servants of the lord in, 240; sym-
bolism in, 238–41
Sri Venkateswara temple (Penn Hills,
PA), 24, 232–47, 235; authenticity of,
232; bhaktaof, 24; boy scouts at, 244 ;
construction of, 234; continuity at,
245; cooperation with Hindu-Jain
temple, 248n21; cultural programs of,
242; deities at, 239, 242, 243, 247n9;
devotees at, 232, 236–37; Education