Professor Gananath Obeyesekere

Professor Gananath Obeyesekere, the eminent and distinguished anthropologist, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at Princeton University and former Professor of Sociology at the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya, passed away at his home in Colombo, Sri Lanka on March 25, 2025 at the age of 95. He is survived by his wife, Ranjini, their children Indrajit, Nalinika and Asita, daughters in law Diane and Shweta, grandchildren Eric, Rehan and Amara, great grandson Ash. He will be missed by his extended family and all his friends.

Born on February 2, 1930, Gananath completed his B.A. in English at the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya, followed by an M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of Washington. His illustrious academic career included teaching positions at the University of Ceylon, the University of Washington and the University of California, San Diego, before joining Princeton University in 1980 where he served as chair of the Anthropology department until his retirement in 2000.

Gananath’s research focused on the intersection of psychoanalysis and anthropology, exploring how personal symbolism relates to religious experience. His notable publications include “Medusa’s Hair: An Essay on Personal Symbols and Religious Experience,” “The Cult of the Goddess Pattini,” “Imagining Karma” and “The Awakened Ones, the Phenomenology of Visionary Experience”. His work respected no academic boundaries and merged anthropology, psychology, religion, history and literature into a profound discourse into the human condition.

His most recent book, “The Creation of the Hunter: the Vadda Presence in the Kandyan Kingdom” was written in his 90s. Gananath’s seminal work, “The Apotheosis of Captain Cook: European Mythmaking in the Pacific,” is still widely read by anthropology students throughout the world for its irreverent take on established ideology and is cited in many contemporary writings on the South Pacific.

During his career, Professor Obeyesekere received numerous academic accolades– including the Thomas H. Huxley medal from the Royal Anthropological Institute and a Guggenheim fellowship in 1978–recognizing his significant contributions to the field of anthropology. Beyond his scholarly achievements, Gananath was known for his empathetic approach to understanding cultural practices, particularly those related to mental distress and their ritualistic expressions. He conducted extensive fieldwork in Sri Lanka from early in his career and his work shed light on the richness of Sri Lankan folk traditions, offering profound insights into the transformation of historical religious traditions into contemporary customs. Professor Obeyesekere’s legacy lies in his profound contributions to anthropology, his dedication to understanding the complexities of the human experience, and his commitment to preserving and interpreting the cultural heritage of Sri Lanka.

Gananath will also be missed by a diverse range of his colleagues and students who were inspired by his work and driven by his mentorship and who made regular pilgrimages to their retirement home in Kandy. His wife, Dr Ranjini Obeyesekere, a scholar of repute herself, was his lifetime companion and muse. They were a support to each other throughout their long journey together. He will be missed by many—not just in Sri Lanka and America—but in the many far corners of the world that he traveled to as an observer and chronicler during this long and adventurous life.