Paper short abstract:

Reading the contributions of an eminent anthropologist from Sri Lanka in the contemporary scene of anthropology in India aids in developing a south Asian perspective in anthropology in India. What could be however termed a south Asian perspective, and what is the contribution of Obeyesekere?

Paper long abstract:

When sociology and social anthropology in India grappled with the binaries of fast decolonizing contexts of South Asia, Gananath Obeyesekere wrote a paper to present a systematic rebuttal of one of the key binaries, namely little tradition and great tradition. Located beyond the binaries Obeyesekere not only presented a smashing deal to the thesis of Marshal Sahlin but also revisited the discourses in psychoanalysis to comprehend the relegated religious experiences characterized by Medusa's hair. This paper, with a systematic engagement with the select works of Obeyesekere, in relation with the larger debates in Indian context, explores the covert and overt possibilities with Obeyesekere's anthropology.