Published Paper Details:

The Skanda Purana, one of the largest and most intricate Mahapuranas of Hindu tradition, presents a rich tapestry of India's sacred geography, blending mythological narratives with territorial descriptions. This study, titled "India in the Skanda Purana: An Exploration of Sacred Geography and Territorial Identity", examines how the Purana constructs a sacred cartography of the Indian subcontinent, embedding spiritual significance into physical landscapes. Through detailed analyses of various khandas (sections) such as the Kashi Khanda, Avanti Khanda, and Prabhasa Khanda, the paper investigates how pilgrimage sites (tirthas), rivers, mountains and regions are sacralized and interwoven into a cohesive cultural geography. Furthermore, it explores how these depictions contribute to shaping a collective territorial identity rooted in dharma, memory and divine presence. By contextualizing the Skanda Purana's descriptions within historical, religious, and cultural frameworks, this research reveals how sacred geography functions as a means of social unification, spiritual orientation, and cultural continuity in the Indian consciousness.