The Manasa Cult in Assam: An Intersectional Study By Nayanashree Kalita, Arpan Bayan

Abstract:

‘Manasa’, in Sanskrit, means ‘one who is mentally created’ or ‘who exists in the mind’. Popular in the eastern regions of India, goddess Manasā is a highly ‘ambivalent’ tāntric deity, both feared and revered by her devotees. The multifarious narratives associated with her attest to the complex making of this cult. Popular as Mārai among the aborigines of Assam, the cult today survives in Goalpara, Darrang and Kamrup districts of the state. Local stories and traditions which depict her ambivalent character find mentions in the 16th century mangalkavyas of two poets, Mankar and Durgavar. The most magnificent features of Manasā cult in Assam, however, remain the rustic Ojhā Pāli and Deodhanī performances which accompany her worship in different contexts. The latter has been dealt extensively in the course of this paper. Through this paper we attempt to offer a feminist reading into her various stories in order to understand the myriad perspectives of womanhood in present and past societies. We will look into the question of agency, while we attempt to locate the position of women in the ritual practices of the cult. Moreover, the non-Brahminical and folk character Manasā worship are selectively studied to offer a brief context of assimilation within the realm of lower Assam.

Author: Nayanashree Kalita, Arpan Bayan

Full Paper: The Manasa Cult in Assam: An Intersectional Study