ABSTRACT
Pilgrimage places associated with sages and ascetics are often linked to the goal of salvific liberation, especially places associated with those sages and ascetics who are believed to have realized the goal of moksa. Many sacred narratives about Kapila, some more important than others, are found in Hindu texts: the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Puranas, as well as in several Mahatmyas of places. However, the sacred narratives about Kapila exist not only in the texts; they are alive in the holy landscapes in India today. The specific places in which Kapila is said to have stayed are named as Kapilatirtha, Kapilasrama, Kapilahrada, Kapilasan. The narratives and rituals associated with the pilgrimage site Kolayat, another pilgrimage place linked to Kapila and thought to be named after him, is illustrative of salvific power as the key element in the promotion of sacred sites.
