Making Virtuous Daughters and Wives

June Mcdaniel

Description

Exploring the folk religion of India and the role of girls and women within it, author June McDaniel focuses on the brata (vrata) ritual in which moral lessons are taught and goddesses are revealed. Bratas are performed to gain such goals as a healthy family, a good husband, and a happy life. They are also performed so that the performers (bratinis) develop such virtues as devotion, humility, and compassion.This book presents data from fieldwork, along with brata stories, songs, poems, and ritual activities. It discusses Bengali folk religion, offers an example of ritual worship in folk Hinduism, and surveys a variety of bratas. The author analyzes the similarities and differences among these rituals in low-caste village life and in high-caste Hindu tradition, and notes that the development of these rituals involves a form of continuing divine revelation with women as the primary transmitters. Bratas act to maintain traditional Hindu values, but also emphasize the power of women, whose virtues can save their husbands from hell worlds and their families from disasters.

Acknowledgments

Notes on Spelling, Transliteration, and Pronunciation

Introduction

1. Folk Hinduism in West Bengal

2. The Folk Goddess Tushu, Her Festival, Songs, and Brata

3. What Is a Brata?

4. Some Bengali Bratas to Goddesses

5. Other Bratas: Women, Nature, Gods, and Magic

6. Brahmanical Bratas: The Rituals for Men

7. Conclusion

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Sujets

• East Asian religions
• Hinduism

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 février 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791487655
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 4 Mo

Extrait

Making Virtuous Daughters and Wives

An Introduction to Women’s Brata Rituals in Bengali Folk Religion

June McDaniel

Making Virtuous Daughters and Wives

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Making Virtuous Daughters and Wives

An Introduction to Women’s Brata Rituals in Bengali Folk Religion

June McDaniel

STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK PRESS

Cover photo:“Singing to the goddess Tushu,” by James Denosky. Courtesy of James Denosky.

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2003 State University of New York

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

For information, address State University of New York Press, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany, NY 12207

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Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

McDaniel, June. Making virtuous daughters and wives : an introduction to women’s Brata rituals in Bengali folk religion / June McDaniel. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0–7914–5565–3 (alk. paper)—ISBN 0–7914–5566–1 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Vratas. 2. Hinduism—Rituals. 3. Bengali (South Asian people)— Folklore. 4. Folklore—India—West Bengal. 5. Hindu women—India—West Bengal—Religious life. 6. West Bengal (India)—Religious life and customs. BL1237.78 .M32 2003 294.5′38—dc21 2002030542

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Acknowledgments

Contents

Notes on Spelling, Transliteration, and Pronunciation

Introduction

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Notes

Folk Hinduism in West Bengal

The Folk Goddess Tushu, Her Festival, Songs, and Brata

What Is a Brata?

Some Bengali Bratas to Goddesses

Other Bratas: Women, Nature, Gods, and Magic

Brahmanical Bratas: The Rituals for Men

Conclusion

Bibliography

Index

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4

1

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7

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Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the Fulbright Program, whose Senior Scholar Research Fel- lowship made it possible for me to do this research in West Bengal, and the Col- lege of Charleston, who granted me a year’s leave foreld research. In India, I would like to thank Satyakam Sengupta, Pashupati Mahato, Soumen Dutta, Asha and Bijoy Mukherjee, Sabujkoli Sen, and the many people from all walks of life who were willing to speak with a foreign researcher about their beliefs and their lives.

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Notes on Spelling, Transliteration, and Pronunciation

The major ritual in this book is most well known according to its Sanskrit spelling, orvrata.However, it is spelledbratais this book, following local Bengali use and pronunciation. Some quotes about the ritual spell the word asvrata,and I have left those spellings in the quotes. Thus, the rituals are sometimes calledbratas, and sometimesvratas. I hope that this is not too confusing to the readers. We also see several of the brata goddesses called “Mother.” This is a title of respect, and also a recognition of a family tie between the worshiper and the god- dess—thus, she cannot turn the petitioner away, for he or she is family. The use of diacritical marks is limited in this book, as it is intended for a broad audience. Thus, many Sanskrit and Bengali terms are spelled phonetically. While this is less authentic to traditional scholarly style, it results in much less mispronun- ciation of terms by people new to the religions of India, which is a great virtue. We should note that most words in Bengali with an “s” in them are pro- nounced with a “sh” sound. Thus, Sasthi is pronounced “Shashthi,” Manasa is “Manasha,” and so on. Some words spelled with an “s” are pronounced “sh” ′ throughout India, such as Sakti (such pronunciation is described by diacritical marks, which I am largely omitting in this book). For a good Bengali accent, one should also pronounce most “a” sounds as “aw.”

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