HYDERABAD: With a long-standing disconnect between gender and religion, many are struggling to comprehend the portrayal of gender within religious contexts. In a bid to bring some clarity on the historical relationship between the two, Aloka Parasher Sen, Professor Emerita of the Department of Sanskrit at the School of Humanities and Former Director of International Affairs, has authored a book titled ‘Gender, Religion, and Local History (The Early Deccan)’.
When asked about her motivation for writing the book, Sen explains, “I have been writing a lot about the Deccan region and, while conducting research, I realised that there are numerous references to gender issues within the context of religion and local regions, which often do not receive much attention from scholars interested in national or provincial history. Generally, even smaller localities provide valuable information. I used a lot of inscription material, sculpture representation, and art from various localities, as well as archaeological and literary references, to link it up with the larger historic picture.”
The book differs from others in the field because it doesn't solely focus on legal or prescriptive literature but rather on the narrative tradition within religions, including myths, customs, and images that portray how patriarchal societies deal with gender issues. Sen is not interested in the position of women, as it is already well-known. Instead, she seeks to examine the fluid images of gender that arise within religions.
Sen emphasises that her book is not solely focused on women but also looks at the narrative tradition and how it impacts men. She says, “It is about women desiring to have access to their own religious traditions, artistic performances, and cultural representation. When you look at this narrative tradition, you find a picture that is different. When you go to local regions, this whole question of what historians or orientalists are concerned about (India being a rule-based and conservative society) is also true.
The other image is that either you glorify these mother goddess sculptures. Then you ask how they were in such a high position. If that is not the case, then you totally disroot them as victims. In between these two very glorified victimhood kinds of images, I thought there would be a more realistic image or grey areas in life. They could be influenced by the powerful goddess images, or they could be influenced by the breakup of matriarchal values. This is what motivated me to bend a literary rule of a bonded image of women to a much more fluid but traditional narrative literature found in Jainism and Buddhism.”
The book covers various topics, including the worship of lajja gauris in Maharashtra, Andhra, and Telangana. These are headless aniconic goddesses that symbolize women in a birth-giving position. Sen also looks at the cultural construction of masculinity and femininity and how the power of gender defines artistic and thriving traditions. Throughout the book, she discusses numerous myths and stories related to gender and religion, providing a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.