The ascetic goddess who is half woman: female authority in the discourses of M?riyammaṉ's Tapas
This paper explores the popular narratives of tapas (or ascetic penance) of MÄ?riyammaá¹?, a south Indian goddess of diseases associated with poxes. Unlike the tapas of the goddess P?rvat? of Śaiva temple legends (talapur?ṇams), which is predicated upon her erotic longing to re/unite with the male g...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Univ.
2012
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| In: |
Nidān
Year: 2012, Volume: 24, Issue: 1, Pages: 66-83 |
| Further subjects: | B
Ardhanari
B Authority B Siva B Samayapuram B Goddess B Androgynous B Feminism B Bhringi B Tamilnadu B Tapas B Asceticism B Poxes B Ardhanarisvari B Mariyamman |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | This paper explores the popular narratives of tapas (or ascetic penance) of MÄ?riyammaá¹?, a south Indian goddess of diseases associated with poxes. Unlike the tapas of the goddess P?rvat? of Śaiva temple legends (talapur?ṇams), which is predicated upon her erotic longing to re/unite with the male god Śiva through marriage, M?riyammaṉ's tapas aims to subvert the male authority through pox-affliction and/or violence. In the narratives, not only is M?riyammaṉ's marriage with Śiva ruled out, but Śiva's conventional androgynous (Ardhan?r?) form is appropriated by her in such a way that her supreme authority and cosmic sovereignty are reinforced. M?riyammaṉ's tapas provides a model of female asceticism that underscores a significant female autonomy. |
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| ISSN: | 2414-8636 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Nidān
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.58125/nidan.2012.1 |