Articles on Cultural Transformation
Kuṇṇāthamman: Transformation of Sapta-mātrikas
By G.B. Balaji · Journal of Indian History and Culture, 2020
The Kuṇṇāthamman temple in Chennai, dedicated to a local family deity, reflects the transformation of the Sapta-mātrikas cult from folk traditions to orthodox Hinduism. The deity, originally a folk goddess, is now worshipped as a Tantric figure with…
Religion's Inevitable Evolution: Natural Changes and Human Resistance
By Kamini Gogri · Jain Avenue, 2020
Religion, like all aspects of existence, undergoes inevitable changes influenced by environmental, socio-economic, and political shifts. These transformations, whether gradual or abrupt, are natural and not always desirable, mirroring the lifecycle of growth,…
The Shunned Cult of Jyestha: Revival and Transformation in Tamil Nadu
By R. EZHILRAMAN · Journal of Indian History and Culture, 2012
The worship of Jyestha, once a prominent but later shunned cult in Tamil Nadu, reflects the region's complex religious history. Initially associated with misfortune and called Daridralakshmi, Jyestha was gradually abandoned as people shifted to other deities…
Ramayana Characters In The Thai Mould
By Satyavrat Verma · Sambodhi, 2010
Satya Vrat Varma’s article, "Ramayana Characters In The Thai Mould," examines the profound transformation of the Ramayana epic as it is adapted into the Thai classic, the Ramakien. Varma argues that the Thais have assimilated the epic into their social…