Beyond Brahmanical Asceticism: Recent and Emerging Models of Female Hindu Asceticisms in South Asia

Abstract

In the last 25 years, significant conceptual and interpretive shifts have occurred in the scholarship on asceticism in South Asia that broaden not only ‘what counts’ as asceticism, but also ‘who counts’ as an ascetic. Moreover, the recent surge of anthropological and ethnographic studies, particularly those focusing on female asceticism, has contributed innovative and alternative models of asceticism to the more dominant, Sanskritic literary model(s). This essay is an introductory survey of the literature on Hindu asceticism and has the following objectives: to discuss the text‐based structural studies on asceticism that have helped to shape the field and to present the recent and emerging scholarship on female Hindu asceticism that challenges and/or supplements the dominant Brahmanical textual model by illuminating the role of female‐centered social values and practices and of bhakti traditions in the constitution of gendered traditions of asceticism. This essay is intended as a preliminary research tool for scholars and students with which to navigate the topography of Hindu asceticism and to understand the crucial developments in the field that have changed the ways that scholars theorize both the category and phenomenon of asceticism in South Asia. Finally, it suggests some fruitful avenues for future research through consideration of ascetics’ performative practices as a strategy for creating non‐orthodox asceticism(s) as an alternative to the dominant and orthodox model.

Point-of-Care Blood Tests: Do Indian Villagers Have Cultural Objections?

“…194–195; 197–200). More generally, “fierce psycho-physical austerities” are required (DeNapoli, 2009 , p. 857) for by this means the renouncer is denying that reproduction triumphs over death (Steven Collins cited in Flood, 2004 , p. 5). Exactly the opposite type of diet is needed by a male householder whose energy and masculinity is said to be promoted by eating hot foods.…”

“… 14 One drop of female milk is also equivalent to 40 drops of blood but very little has been written about the impact of this idea on female sexuality and identity—for example, DeNapoli ( 2009 ) does not deal with female semen. …”