The Goddess Re-discovered

The book critically analyses questions of gender and sexuality in the medieval religious texts of Bengal. It analyses the emergence of religious cults in patriarchal contexts, the humanisation of the goddess figure as a wife and mother who is subject to social and ethical codes, and demythologisation of folk epics.

Autorentext

Saumitra Chakravarty teaches English Literature in the Postgraduate programme, National College, Bangalore, India. She is engaged in active research on various aspects of the 'feminine' in literary and religious texts, and has a PhD in English Literature from Calcutta University, India. Dr Chakravarty has presented papers at various international conferences. Her research articles have been published in international journals like Intersections of the Australian National University, Canberra, in Le Simplegadi and Il Bianco e il Nero of the University of Udine, Italy, in Bells of the University of Barcelona, in the History Research Journal, U.S.A., in the Journal of Religion and Spirituality, U.S.A., in the Asian Literature and Translation, University of Cardiff, in the Athens Journal of Philology, Greece.

Her poems have been included in an anthology of 50 Indian women poets entitled Roots and Wings. Her books include Three Sides of Life, a volume of poetry The Silent Cry, and a book of essays entitled The Endangered Self as co-author. Her articles have been included in five books.

Inhalt

Acknowledgements

1 The Medieval Period in Bengal: A Brief Introduction

PART I

Shakta Literature in Bengal

2 Hindu Goddesses and Patriarchal Politics: Unveiling Goddess Imagery in the Chandi Mangal, the Devi Mahatmya and the Srimad Devi Bhagavata Purana

3 Suppression and Resistance: Celebrating Manasa in Text, Performance and Ritual

4 Kali, Goddess Power and Sexuality: The influence of Tantra on the Kalika Purana

PART II

Vaishnava Literature in Bengal

5 Radha as a Social Rebel: Female Sexuality in the Vaishnava Padavalis of Bengal

6 The Concept of Androgyny in the Chaitanya Hagiographies of Bengal

PART III

Interpreting the Epics: Anuvada Sahitya or Itihasa Sahitya

7 Empowering the Silenced Voices: The Paradox of Female Chastity in Krittivasa's Ramayana

8 Women's Ramayanas: Chandraboti's Folk Ballad

Index