Offering flowers, feeding skulls : popular goddess worship in West Benagal

In Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls, June McDaniel provides an exhaustive, accessibly written overview of Bengali goddess worship or Shakti. McDaniel identifies three major forms of goddess worship, and examines each through its myths, folklore, songs, rituals, sacred texts, and practitioners. She traces these strands through Bengali culture and explores how they are interwoven with each other as well as with other forms of Hinduism and other forms of religion. McDaniel also discusses how Shakti practices have been reinterpreted in the West, where goddess worship has gained the values of sexual freedom and psychological healing, but lost its emphases on devotion and asceticism. She takes the reader inside the lives of practicing Shaktas, including religious professionals, hymn singers, philosophers, visionaries, gurus, and even a businessman, and offers vivid descriptions of their rituals, practices, and daily lives. Drawing on years of fieldwork and extensive research, McDaniel paints a rich, expansive portrait of this fascinating religious tradition. The Indian State Of West Bengal Is Home To One Of The World's Most Vibrant Traditions Of Goddess Worship. The Year's Biggest Holidays Are Devoted To The Goddesses Durga And Kali, With Lavish Rituals, Decorated Statues, Fireworks, And Parades. In Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls, June Mcdaniel Provides A Broad, Accessibly Written Overview Of Bengali Goddess Worship. Mcdaniel Identifies Three Major Forms Of Goddess Worship, And Examines Each Through Its Myths, Folklore, Songs, Rituals, Sacred Texts, And Practitioners. In The Folk/tribal Strand, Which Is Found In Rural Areas, Local Tribal Goddesses Are Worshipped Alongside Hindu Goddesses, With An Emphasis On Possession, Healing, And Animism. The Tantric/yogic Strand Focuses On Ritual, Meditation, And Visualization As Ways Of Experiencing The Power Of The Goddess Directly. The Devotional Or Bhakti Strand, Which Is The Most Popular Form, Involves The Intense Love And Worship Of A Particular Form Of The Goddess. Mcdaniel Traces These Strands Through Bengali Culture And Explores How They Are Interwoven With Each Other As Well As With Other Forms Of Hinduism. She Also Discusses How These Practices Have Been Reinterpreted In The West, Where Goddess Worship Has Gained The Values Of Sexual Freedom And Psychological Healing, But Lost Its Emphases On Devotion And Asceticism. Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls Takes The Reader Inside The Lives Of Practicing Shaktas, Including Holy Women, Hymn Singers, Philosophers, Visionaries, Gurus, Ascetics, Healers, Musicians, And Businessmen, And Offers Vivid Descriptions Of Their Rituals, Practices, And Daily Lives. Drawing On Years Of Fieldwork And Extensive Research, Mcdaniel Paints A Rich, Expansive Portrait Of This Fascinating Religious Tradition. Folk Shaktism: Life With The Goddess. -- Tantric And Yogic Shaktism: Knowledge Of The Goddess's Ways. -- Shakta Bhakti: Devotion To The Goddess. -- The Great Bhakti Goddesses Of West Bengal: Durga And Kali. -- Shaktism And The Modern West: Kundalini Vacations And Tantric Honeymoons. June Mcdaniel. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [341]-352).

The Indian state of West Bengal is home to one of the world's most vibrant traditions of goddess worship. The year's biggest holidays are devoted to the goddesses Durga and Kali, with lavish rituals, decorated statues, fireworks, and parades. In Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls, June McDaniel provides a broad, accessibly written overview of Bengali goddess worship. McDaniel identifies three major forms of goddess worship, and examines each through its myths, folklore, songs, rituals, sacred texts, and practitioners. In the folk/tribal strand, which is found in rural areas, local tribal goddesses are worshipped alongside Hindu goddesses, with an emphasis on possession, healing, and animism. The tantric/yogic strand focuses on ritual, meditation, and visualization as ways of experiencing the power of the goddess directly. The devotional or bhakti strand, which is the most popular form, involves the intense love and worship of a particular form of the goddess. McDaniel traces these strands through Bengali culture and explores how they are interwoven with each other as well as with other forms of Hinduism. She also discusses how these practices have been reinterpreted in the West, where goddess worship has gained the values of sexual freedom and psychological healing, but lost its emphases on devotion and asceticism. Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls takes the reader inside the lives of practicing Shaktas, including holy women, hymn singers, philosophers, visionaries, gurus, ascetics, healers, musicians, and businessmen, and offers vivid descriptions of their rituals, practices, and daily lives. Drawing on years of fieldwork and extensive research, McDaniel paints a rich, expansive portrait of this fascinating religious tradition.

ISBN-13: 9780195167917......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Notes on Transliteration......Page 10 Introduction......Page 14 1. Folk Shaktism: Life with the Goddess......Page 38 2. Tantric and Yogic Shaktism: Knowledge of the Goddess’s Ways......Page 78 3. Shakta Bhakti: Devotion to the Goddess......Page 156 4. The Great Bhakti Goddesses of West Bengal: Durga and Kali......Page 220 5. Shaktism and the Modern West: Kundalini Vacations and Tantric Honeymoons......Page 276 6. Conclusions......Page 306 Notes......Page 316 Diacritical List......Page 342 Bibliography......Page 352 D......Page 364 N......Page 365 S......Page 366 Y......Page 367 In 'Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls', June McDaniel provides an overview of Bengali goddess worship or Shakti. She identifies three major forms of goddess worship, and examines each through its myths, folklore, songs, rituals, sacred texts, and practitioners, tracing these strands through Bengali culture