Possession States Among The Śaktas Of West Bengal
This article describes three forms of goddess possession in West Bengal. Bhor nāma is the descent of the goddess upon a ritual practitioner, usually female, at specific times and places, for healing disease and answering questions. Avesa is an emotional state, in which a devotee is possessed by the...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Print Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Dep.
[1988]
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| In: |
Journal of ritual studies
Year: 1988, Volume: 2, Issue: 1, Pages: 87-99 |
| Further subjects: | B
Tantra
B Deities B Meditation B Rituals B Hindu chants B Love B Religious rituals B Self B Identity |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Verlag) |
| Summary: | This article describes three forms of goddess possession in West Bengal. Bhor nāma is the descent of the goddess upon a ritual practitioner, usually female, at specific times and places, for healing disease and answering questions. Avesa is an emotional state, in which a devotee is possessed by the deity in a state of love, and their personalities are mingled together. Mahā-ull¯āsa occurs in the tantric ritual circle or cakra and is a state of bliss in which the bodies of the group members become the bodies of the deity. These states are described from both Bengali texts and field notes and placed in the context of broader ritual theory. |
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| ISSN: | 0890-1112 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of ritual studies
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