Ritual Worship of the Great Goddess: The Liturgy of the Durga Puja With Interpretations (McGill Studies in the History of Religions, a Series Devoted to International Scholarship)

"During a nine-day period every autumn, Hindus in India and throughout the world worship the Great Goddess, Durga - the formidable deity who is loved like a mother. One of the most dramatic and popular of these celebrations is the Durga Puja, a rite noted for its visual pageantry, ritual complexity, and communal participation. In this book, Hillary Peter Rodrigues describes the Bengali style of Durga Puja practiced in the sacred city of Banaras from beginning to end. A romanization of the Sanskrit litany is included along with an English translation." "In addition to the liturgical description, Rodrigues provides information on the rite's component elements and mythic aspects. There are interpretive sections on puja, the Great Goddess, women's roles in the ritual, and the socio-cultural functions of the ritual. Rodrigues maintains that the Durga Puja is a rite of cosmic rejuvenation, of empowerment at both the personal and social levels, and a rite that orchestrates manifestations of the feminine, both Divine and human."--Jacket.;Ritual Worship of the Great Goddess -- Contents -- Illustrations -- Acknowledgments -- Abbreviations -- A Note on Transliteration and Pronunciation -- 1. Introduction -- GENESIS OF THIS STUDY -- THE DURGA PUJA -- PART I: Context and Overview -- 2. The Setting -- WHICH NAVARATRA? -- WHICH GODDESS? -- WHICH DURGA PUJA? -- DURGA PUJA IN BENGAL -- DURGA PUJA IN BANARAS -- BENGALI BRAHMANAS IN BANARAS -- THE RITUAL PERFORMER (PUROHITA) -- THE AUDIENCE -- RITUAL MANUALS -- ENGLISH LITERATURE ON THE DURGA PUJA -- THIS DESCRIPTION OF THE DURGA PUJA -- 3. Overview of the Durga Puja. During A Nine-day Period Every Autumn, Hindus In India And Throughout The World Worship The Great Goddess, Durga - The Formidable Deity Who Is Loved Like A Mother. One Of The Most Dramatic And Popular Of These Celebrations Is The Durga Puja, A Rite Noted For Its Visual Pageantry, Ritual Complexity, And Communal Participation. In This Book, Hillary Peter Rodrigues Describes The Bengali Style Of Durga Puja Practiced In The Sacred City Of Banaras From Beginning To End. A Romanization Of The Sanskrit Litany Is Included Along With An English Translation. In Addition To The Liturgical Description, Rodrigues Provides Information On The Rite's Component Elements And Mythic Aspects. There Are Interpretive Sections On Puja, The Great Goddess, Women's Roles In The Ritual, And The Socio-cultural Functions Of The Ritual. Rodrigues Maintains That The Durga Puja Is A Rite Of Cosmic Rejuvenation, Of Empowerment At Both The Personal And Social Levels, And A Rite That Orchestrates Manifestations Of The Feminine, Both Divine And Human.--book Jacket. The Durga Puja -- Which Navaratra? -- Which Goddess? -- Which Durga Puja? -- Durga Puja In Bengal -- Durga Puja In Banaras -- Bengali Brahmanas In Banaras -- The Ritual Performer (purohita) -- The Audience -- Ritual Manuals -- English Literature On The Durga Puja -- This Description Of The Durga Puja -- Overview Of The Durga Puja -- General Comments On Puja -- Overview Of The Ritual -- Description Of The Durga Puja -- The Durga Puja -- Preliminaries -- Bodhana -- Adhivasa -- Saptami -- Mahastami -- Sandhi Puja -- Mahanavami -- Vijaya Dasami -- Interpretations -- The Nature Of Puja -- The Nature Of The Great Goddess -- Gynomorphic Forms Of The Goddess -- Yantric Forms Of The Devi -- The Devi As Elemental Substances -- The Devi As Life Forms -- Functions Of The Durga Puja -- Cosmic Rejuvenation -- Empowerment: Personal, Sovereign, Communal, Political, Economic -- Controlled Fertility -- Religious Ritual As Illustrated By The Durga Puja. Hillary Peter Rodrigues. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 363-384) Index. A first-hand description of the Durga Puja, the Hinda celebration of the Great Goddess. During a nine-day period every autumn, Hindus in India and throughout the world worship the Great Goddess, Durga--the formidable deity who is loved like a mother. One of the most dramatic and popular of these celebrations is the Durga Puja, a rite noted for its visual pageantry, ritual complexity, and communal participation. In this book, Hillary Peter Rodrigues describes the Bengali style of Durga Puja practiced in the sacred city of Banaras from beginning to end. A romanization of the Sanskrit litany is included along with an English translation. In addition to the liturgical description, Rodrigues provides information on the rite's component elements and mythic aspects. There are interpretive sections on puja, the Great Goddess, women's roles in the ritual, and the socio-cultural functions of the ritual. Rodrigues maintains that the Durga Puja is a rite of cosmic rejuvenation, of empowerment at both the personal and social levels, and a rite that orchestrates manifestations of the feminine, both Divine and human. During a nine-day period every autumn, Hindus in India and throughout the world worship the Great Goddess, Durgā--the formidable deity who is loved like a mother. One of the most dramatic and popular of these celebrations is the Durgā Pūjā, a rite noted for its visual pageantry, ritual complexity, and communal participation. In this book, Hillary Peter Rodrigues describes the Bengali style of Durgā Pūjā practiced in the sacred city of Banaras from beginning to end. A romanization of the Sanskrit litany is included along with an English translation.In addition to the liturgical description, Rodrigues provides information on the rite's component elements and mythic aspects. There are interpretive sections on puja, the Great Goddess, women's roles in the ritual, and the socio-cultural functions of the ritual. Rodrigues maintains that the Durgā Pūjā is a rite of cosmic rejuvenation, of empowerment at both the personal and social levels, and a rite that orchestrates manifestations of the feminine, both Divine and human. State University of New York Press ISBN-13:,9780791453995