| ID | 165932 |
| Title Proper | Cradle of Tantra |
| Other Title Information | Modern Transformations of a Tantric Centre in Northeast India from Nationalist Symbol to Tourist Destination |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Urban, Hugh B |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | This article examines the modern transformations of the temple of the goddess, Kāmākhyā, and her most important festival, Ambuvācī Melā, in Assam. Since at least the eighth century, Kāmākhyā has been revered as one of the most important ‘seats of power’ or centres of the goddess that dot the landscape of South Asia. However, during the last century, this temple and its festivals have undergone a series of profound transformations—first, in the context of Hindu nationalism and attempts to imagine a unified sacred landscape of ‘Mother India’, and second, in the context of spiritual tourism and efforts to develop the Northeast region as a new economic powerhouse for the twenty-first century. |
| `In' analytical Note | South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies Vol. 42, No.2; Apr 2019: p.256-277 |
| Journal Source | South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies 2019-06 42, 2 |
| Key Words | Development ; Assam ; Hindutva ; Sacrifice ; Blood ; Ambuvācī Melā ; Kāmākhyā |