Devi: Goddesses of IndiaThe monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have severely limited the portrayal of the divine as feminine. But in Hinduism "God" very often means "Goddess." This extraordinary collection explores twelve different Hindu goddesses, all of whom are in some way related to Devi, the Great Goddess. They range from the liquid goddess-energy of the River Ganges to the possessing, entrancing heat of Bhagavati and Seranvali. They are local, like Vindhyavasini, and global, like Kali; ancient, like Saranyu, and modern, like "Mother India." The collection combines analysis of texts with intensive fieldwork, allowing the reader to see how goddesses are worshiped in everyday life. In these compelling essays, the divine feminine in Hinduism is revealed as never before—fascinating, contradictory, powerful. |
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auspicious Bengali Bhadrakāļi Bhāgavata Bhagavati Bharat Bhārat Mātā temple blood Brahmin consort cult culture curse dance Dārika death deity Delhi demons described Desika Devī Devi Mahatmya devotees dharma divine Durgā earth essay female feminine feminist festival Figure Gangā Godāvarī gods Hindi Hindu goddesses Hindu nationalism Hindu nationalist human husband India jagrātā Kālī Kālī's Kerala kirtan Krishna Lakṣmi Lord Mahābhārata Mahāmāyā male manifest Manu Mātājī māyā mother mudiyettu myth narrative Niśumbha of-the-same-kind Pārvatī performance pilgrimage pilgrims play possession prakṛti Press Purāņa Rādhā recitation Religion religious Rig Veda ritual river role Rūpa Rūpa's sacred sacrifice śakti Samjñā Sanskrit Saraṇyū sati Satyamitranand sexual shrine Śiva Śiva's songs spiritual Śrī Śrī Vaiṣṇava status story Śumbha symbol Tantric tion tradition University Vaiṣṇava Vedic verse village Vindhya Vindhya Māhātmya Vindhyachal Vindhyakṣetra Vindhyavāsinī Vishva Hindu Parishad vision Visņu Vṛndāvana wife woman women worship Yama yantra yātrā