Comparative Ritualization of Sacred Space in Islam and Hinduism: A Cross-Regional Study

Thesis Abstract

This study addresses the underexplored yet consequential question of how sacred spaces are ritualized and experienced across Islam and Hinduism, highlighting both convergences and divergent practices that shape social memory, identity performance, and interreligious perception in plural societies. The aim is to illuminate the mechanisms through which architectural form, ritual enactment, and spatial pedagogy legitimize religious authority and foster community cohesion or tension. Specific objectives include (1) mapping typologies of sacred spaces in selected case locales—Mecca’s Haram complex, Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath precinct, and comparable urban synagogues of shared public space in multi-religious neighborhoods as a comparative control; (2) examining ritual timelines, processions, and iconographic repertoires that order spatial experience; (3) assessing lay and clerical/deracinated authority in shaping space through narrated female and youth participation; (4) testing the applicability of space-ritual theory to both traditions using a cross-regional lens; and (5) proposing a synthesis of ritualization mechanisms that can inform interfaith dialogue and urban planning. The study adopts a comparative, mixed-methods design that integrates qualitative and quantitative strands. The population comprises religious practitioners, custodians, and participants in sacred-space rituals across three sites in India and two sites in Türkiye, supplemented by a control sample from a secular urban space to identify secularization effects. A purposive–quota sampling strategy will recruit 60 in-depth interviews with religious authorities (n=12 per site) and ritual participants (n=40 per site), alongside 20 focus groups (6–8 participants each) stratified by age and gender. Instrumentation includes semi-structured interview guides, participant observation protocols, and a standardized ritual enactment checklist to document spatial-temporal features, iconography, ritual sequences, and crowd dynamics. Complementary archival sources, including temple and mosque architecture plans, liturgical calendars, and historical interfaith narratives, will be consulted. To triangulate qualitative insights, a survey (n=300) will measure perceived sacredness, locus of authority, and inclusivity in access to sacred spaces, analyzed via ordinal logistic regression to identify determinants of perceived inclusivity and spatial meaning. Data analysis will proceed in three stages. First, thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke will extract core patterns of space-making, ritual performance, and authority negotiation from interview transcripts and field notes, aided by NVivo 12 coding. Second, social-network analysis will map patronage and custodianship networks around sacred sites to reveal power relations and information flow. Third, quantitative data will be subjected to regression analyses to examine relationships between demographic variables, exposure to ritual practices, and attitudes toward space inclusivity, with robustness checks using bootstrapping. A multi-criteria assessment framework, drawing on Bourdieu’s theory of habitus and Bell’s ritualization concepts, will underpin the interpretive phase, complemented by a cross-cultural lens rooted in Durkheimian collective effervescence and semiotics of space. Expected findings include (a) identification of parallel ritual logics in spatial ordering, such as threshold-centered access, axis-oriented procession, and sanctified materiality that confer legitimacy on religious authority; (b) recognition of gendered and age-related variations in space participation and symbolic capital within both traditions; (c) evidence of convergent urbanization effects on sacred-space design, including crowd management and digital mediation of ritual visibility; and (d) nuanced differences in enculturation strategies—Islamic sanctification linked to Qur’anic pedagogy and hadith-informed custodianship, Hindu ritualization anchored in iconography, temple economies, and festival calendars. The study will contribute to knowledge by bridging religious studies and urban anthropology, offering a comparative typology of ritualized space that informs theories of sacred geography, material religion, and interreligious relations. It will illuminate how sacred spaces function as sites of social memory, political signaling, and ethical contestation in contemporary multi-faith settings. Policy recommendations will address inclusive access to sacred spaces, custodianship governance, and culturally sensitive urban design that respects religious plurality while maintaining public safety and heritage preservation. The conclusion will argue for a transdisciplinary framework combining ritual theory, architectural anthropology, and community-based participatory research to advance equitable and meaningful engagement with sacred spaces across religious traditions.