Goddesses in South Asia

Goddess traditions in South Asia have been a subject of significant academic interest since the advent of serious religious studies. This book examines a wide range of themes across various chronological and geographical contexts, with each chapter offering original research based on textual, epigraphic, anthropological, and art historical sources. The authors employ diverse methodologies, showcasing the varied approaches to studying goddess traditions. The volume engages with key historiographical debates on goddess worship in South Asia, both through individual essays and its broader scope. While the book explores major traditions such as the Vedic, Puranic, Buddhist, and Jaina, it also delves into lesser-studied goddess traditions, often referred to as "minor deities" or village deities, particularly within South and East Indian folk traditions. It also addresses the interaction between goddess worship and religions such as Islam and Christianity, raising important questions about their respective engagements with goddess imagery. The book explores the relationship between premodern goddess traditions and their modern and contemporary redefinitions, contributing to the study of how religious traditions transform, adapt, and reinvent themselves over time. It asks critical questions, including: What are the current historiographical trends in goddess studies? How did the presence of powerful female deities function in patriarchal contexts? How can the goddess be interpreted across various media, including visual and literary sources? How do goddess traditions influence gender relations in both historical and contemporary contexts? Furthermore, it investigates the role of patronage, royal authority, and rituals in legitimizing power dynamics in religious practices. By engaging with these themes through rigorous analysis of primary sources, this book makes a substantial contribution to the field, offering fresh perspectives on the study of goddess traditions.