God of Justice: Ritual Healing and Social Justice in the Central Himalayas

God of Justice deals with ritual healing in the Central Himalayas of north India, focusing on the cult of Bhairav, a local deity associated with the lowest castes, who are frequently victims of social injustice. When they are exploited or abused they often turn to Bhairav for justice, beseeching him to afflict their oppressors with disease and misfortune. In order to bring their suffering to an end, the oppressors must make amends with their victims and worship Bhairav together with them. Much of the book focuses on the tension between the high moral value placed on family unity on the one hand, and the inevitable conflicts within it on the other. This highly readable book describes the author's own experiences in the field as well as ritual healing practices such as divination, sacrifice, and exorcism.

William S. Sax is Professor and Head of the Department of Anthropology at the South Asia Institute, University of Heidelberg, Germany. He is the author of several books, including Dancing the Self: Personhood and Performance in the Pandav Lila of Garhwal.