Andal-Goda And Mirabai Essays - Bhakti Movement, Alvars, Andal

Andal-Goda And Mirabai Poetry, Passion, and Power: The Lyrics of Andal-Goda and the Music of Goda Mandali, Vasudha Narayanan & Mirabai: Inscribed in Text, Embodied in Life, Nancy M. Martin-Kershaw This is a summary and reaction to the above articles, both of which have similar foci in that they each discuss different female Hindu saints. These Saints, though women, have life histories that do not exactly fit into the prescribed gender roles of current modern India. Interestingly, in an India where men dominate and female virtue is based on passivity and sacrifice for one's husband, these holy women, who never married (officially) and show no sign of passivity, are widely excepted and widely revered as examples of holy righteousness. Because of this, the saints can be viewed as alternative role models for women in India who do not readily want to submit themselves to the rule of men. The articles focus on this seemingly contradictory phenomenon of the incorporation of these female saints in Hindu mythology, first giving hagiographic details pertaining to the saints and then siting examples of various followers attracted to them. In the first article, Narayanan shows how the only female alvar of Tamil hymns, the Saint Goda (pupularly known as Andal), can be seen as an alternative female role model-one that showed contempt for marrying a man. Andal, or she who rules, is an eighth century poet saint who is worshiped in south India by adherents of the Srivaisnava faith. We see, however, that although Andal is and has been worshipped throughout south India in temples for centuries, her poetry and contribution to religious worship have largely been ignored in Hindu scholarship. Narayanan's article really drives the point home that, although many scholars have ignored Goda, the reality of Andal in the Shrivaisnava faith is very strong, which makes the fact that she has been ignored all the more peculiar. It certainly is not because Andal lacks sufficient hagiography. Narayanan mentions three different hagiographical traditions describing Andal's discovery by her father in the garden and her later refusal to marry, preferring to marry Visnu instead. For Andal, however, this is no mere fantasy and when she is brought to Srirangam upon Visnu's request, she is unified with the Lord both physically and spiritually, thus marrying Him. Apart from biographical stories, Andal is also survived by her two Tamil poems, which are recited daily in Srivaisnava temples. Also, inline with the recent emergence of women bhajana groups that sing the poems of the Tamil saints, several such groups have developed that are devoted specifically to the praise and worship of Andal-Goda through the singing of her poetry. It is interesting to note as well that these mainly female Bhajana organizations attract members from outside of the Srivaisnava community, as only about 10% of their membership come from this group. Narayanan mentions two different groups devoted to Andal. They have women members, meet twice a week, and frequently give performances also appearing on television, radio. It seems that these groups gathering in praise of Andal are drawn in perhaps not only by religious piety, but also out of the attraction that such a powerful female role model provides. Certainly the model of Andal inspires a hope of a different sort of role for women that traditional Indian society does not provide. The second Article by Martin-Kershaw focuses on another female saint, Mirabai. She is described to be the embodiment of absolute devotion to Krsna. Mirabai lived in the 16th century and was a member of the Rathor royal family. She seems to have been a true rebel and is seen as a defiant lover of God who ignored all social expectations for a royal woman in order to daily live out her limitless devotion for God. Martin-Kershaw next goes on to give us hagiographic details pertaining to Mira's life. It is said that she was forced to marry a Rana, but immediately she gets into trouble with this new family because she refuses to bow down to the family's Goddess. She refused because her only God was Krsna. Angered, the in-laws said that she was useless and ignorant and she was next made to be isolated in a separate palace. The in-laws later tried