Home > Research > Publications & Outputs > ‘The Goddess, the Emperor and the Tantric

Research

Links

Text available via DOI:

Keywords

View graph of relations

‘The Goddess, the Emperor and the Tantric: Re-examining Śivāji in the light of the Śākta traditions of early-modern Maharashtra’

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Published

Standard

‘The Goddess, the Emperor and the Tantric: Re-examining Śivāji in the light of the Śākta traditions of early-modern Maharashtra’. / Sarkar, Bihani.
In: South Asian History and Culture, Vol. 12, No. 1, 31.03.2021, p. 39-52.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Harvard

Sarkar, B 2021, '‘The Goddess, the Emperor and the Tantric: Re-examining Śivāji in the light of the Śākta traditions of early-modern Maharashtra’', South Asian History and Culture, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 39-52. https://doi.org/10.1080/19472498.2020.1843301

APA

Sarkar, B. (2021). ‘The Goddess, the Emperor and the Tantric: Re-examining Śivāji in the light of the Śākta traditions of early-modern Maharashtra’. South Asian History and Culture, 12(1), 39-52. https://doi.org/10.1080/19472498.2020.1843301

Vancouver

Sarkar B. ‘The Goddess, the Emperor and the Tantric: Re-examining Śivāji in the light of the Śākta traditions of early-modern Maharashtra’. South Asian History and Culture. 2021 Mar 31;12(1):39-52. Epub 2020 Nov 10. doi: 10.1080/19472498.2020.1843301

Author

Sarkar, Bihani. / ‘The Goddess, the Emperor and the Tantric : Re-examining Śivāji in the light of the Śākta traditions of early-modern Maharashtra’. In: South Asian History and Culture. 2021 ; Vol. 12, No. 1. pp. 39-52.

Bibtex

@article{9eaf15a37b024fe8bc9b2418ab28021e,
title = "{\textquoteleft}The Goddess, the Emperor and the Tantric: Re-examining {\'S}ivāji in the light of the {\'S}ākta traditions of early-modern Maharashtra{\textquoteright}",
abstract = "{\'S}ivāji Bhonsle (1627–1680) is largely held to be the champion of Vaidika {\textquoteleft}Hindu{\textquoteright} identity, a view apparently demonstrated by his Vedic consecration by Banarasi priests in 1674. In this article, I present religious narratives of the court of {\'S}ivāji, that represent his interactions with a much more diverse local religious milieu. This heterodox environment comprised of local cults, saints, priestly groups, and scribes involved in composing and popularizing religious texts and messages. I consider two kinds of narratives that emerged out of the socio-religious networks sustained by {\'S}ivāji: one in a Marathi hagiography (bakhar) portraying his association with the Maratha patron goddess Tuḷjā Bhavānī and another, a Sanskrit account of {\'S}ivāji{\textquoteright}s Tantric consecration, the {\'S}rī{\'s}ivarājyābhiṣekakalpataru. These accounts contain depictions of the critical role of a powerful goddess cult and the Tantric priests from the Konkan coast in ritually sanctifying and granting power and affirmation to the Maratha court.",
keywords = "early modern India, {\'S}ivāji, Maratha, Tuḷjā Bhavānī, {\'S}ivāji{\textquoteright}s Tantric consecration",
author = "Bihani Sarkar",
year = "2021",
month = mar,
day = "31",
doi = "10.1080/19472498.2020.1843301",
language = "English",
volume = "12",
pages = "39--52",
journal = "South Asian History and Culture",
issn = "1947-2498",
publisher = "Taylor & Francis Taylor & Francis Group",
number = "1",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - ‘The Goddess, the Emperor and the Tantric

T2 - Re-examining Śivāji in the light of the Śākta traditions of early-modern Maharashtra’

AU - Sarkar, Bihani

PY - 2021/3/31

Y1 - 2021/3/31

N2 - Śivāji Bhonsle (1627–1680) is largely held to be the champion of Vaidika ‘Hindu’ identity, a view apparently demonstrated by his Vedic consecration by Banarasi priests in 1674. In this article, I present religious narratives of the court of Śivāji, that represent his interactions with a much more diverse local religious milieu. This heterodox environment comprised of local cults, saints, priestly groups, and scribes involved in composing and popularizing religious texts and messages. I consider two kinds of narratives that emerged out of the socio-religious networks sustained by Śivāji: one in a Marathi hagiography (bakhar) portraying his association with the Maratha patron goddess Tuḷjā Bhavānī and another, a Sanskrit account of Śivāji’s Tantric consecration, the Śrīśivarājyābhiṣekakalpataru. These accounts contain depictions of the critical role of a powerful goddess cult and the Tantric priests from the Konkan coast in ritually sanctifying and granting power and affirmation to the Maratha court.

AB - Śivāji Bhonsle (1627–1680) is largely held to be the champion of Vaidika ‘Hindu’ identity, a view apparently demonstrated by his Vedic consecration by Banarasi priests in 1674. In this article, I present religious narratives of the court of Śivāji, that represent his interactions with a much more diverse local religious milieu. This heterodox environment comprised of local cults, saints, priestly groups, and scribes involved in composing and popularizing religious texts and messages. I consider two kinds of narratives that emerged out of the socio-religious networks sustained by Śivāji: one in a Marathi hagiography (bakhar) portraying his association with the Maratha patron goddess Tuḷjā Bhavānī and another, a Sanskrit account of Śivāji’s Tantric consecration, the Śrīśivarājyābhiṣekakalpataru. These accounts contain depictions of the critical role of a powerful goddess cult and the Tantric priests from the Konkan coast in ritually sanctifying and granting power and affirmation to the Maratha court.

KW - early modern India

KW - Śivāji

KW - Maratha

KW - Tuḷjā Bhavānī

KW - Śivāji’s Tantric consecration

U2 - 10.1080/19472498.2020.1843301

DO - 10.1080/19472498.2020.1843301

M3 - Journal article

VL - 12

SP - 39

EP - 52

JO - South Asian History and Culture

JF - South Asian History and Culture

SN - 1947-2498

IS - 1

ER -