Ritual worship of the great goddess : the liturgy of the Durga Puja with interpretations / Hillary Peter Rodrigues.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Rodrigues, Hillary, 1953-

Series:

McGill studies in the history of religions

SUNY series, McGill Studies in the History of Religions, A Series Devoted to International Scholarship

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Durga (Hindu deity)--Cult.

Durga (Hindu deity).

Durgā-pūjā (Hindu festival).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (434 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Other Title:

Liturgy of the Durga Puja with interpretations

Place of Publication:

Albany, NY : State University of New York Press, c2003.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

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.

Contents:

Front Matter

Contents

Illustrations

Acknowledgments

Abbreviations

A Note on Transliteration and Pronunciation

Introduction

Context and Overview

The Setting

Overview of the Durgā Pūjā

Description of the Durgā Pūjā

The Durgā Pūjā

Interpretations

The Nature of Pūjā

The Nature of the Great Goddess

Functions of the Durgā Pūjā

Note

Glossary

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. 363-384) index.

ISBN:

0-7914-8844-6

1-4175-0680-6

OCLC:

61367699