Dance of the Deodhas

Divine Possession, Blood Sacrifice and the Grotesque Body in Assamese Goddess Worship

Authors

  • Mikel Burley University of Leeds Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/rosa.36287

Keywords:

Assam, Goddess, Hinduism, possession, sacrifice, Tantra

Abstract

'Possession' by a deity or spirit has been a prevalent phenomenon in many religious and cultural milieus, including those of South Asia. Yet it has frequently been neglected by Indologists and marginalized by elite religious authorities. Also underexplored have been forms of goddess worship in Northeast India, where Tantric Hinduism has been strongly influenced by non-Hindu indigenous traditions. Helping to fill these gaps, this article examines the Deodhani festival (also known as Manasa Puja) at the Kamakhya temple in Assam, the centrepiece of which is a prolonged dance by 'shamanistic' deodhas, whom devotees claim to be possessed by deities that include several ferocious goddesses. Utilizing the concept of the 'grotesque body' from theories of art and literature, and contextualizing the festival in relation to the broader background of the temple and to practices of possession elsewhere, the article illuminates the themes of divine possession, animal sacrifice and transgressive ritual.

Author Biography

  • Mikel Burley, University of Leeds

    Mikel Burley is Associate Professor of Religion and Philosophy at the University of Leeds. He works across both philosophy of religion and religious studies, drawing especially upon literary and ethnographic sources.

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Published

2019-04-25

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Burley, M. (2019). Dance of the Deodhas: Divine Possession, Blood Sacrifice and the Grotesque Body in Assamese Goddess Worship. Religions of South Asia, 12(2), 207-233. https://doi.org/10.1558/rosa.36287