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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.
List of contents
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
About the author
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.
Summary
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.
