The Presence of Absence: Using Stuff in a South Asian Sufi Movement
Frank J. Korom
The &#x201c;presence of absence&#x201d; here refers to a process by which fi gure no longer physically in the world lived reality is made manifest through ritual use stuff formerly belonging or associated with entity present mundane realm, some may be termed relics. To develop this concept, I draw upon one contemporary Sufi group called Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship, has branches United States, Canada, and Sri Lanka, place origination Muhaiyaddeen, Tamil speaking saint who died 1986, buried outside Philadelphia. study focuses on members&#x2019; photographs Bawa, sound recordings his sermons, items such as slippers he wore, chairs sat, beds slept, artwork painted, vegetarian recipes prescribed visualise remember him constantly present. In so doing, it allows community not only &#x201c;see&#x201d; but also touch, smell, hear, taste him. argument assumes form &#x201c;corpothetics,&#x201d; Christopher Pinney it, entire sensorial range body engaged practicing religion. This moves us beyond now tired concept auspicious sight (darsan) South Asian religions penetrate even deeper into how body&#x2019;s capacities are employed mystical making that currently absent.
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