Bahinabai:
The Ordinary Life of an Exceptional Woman, or, the Exceptional Life of an Ordinary Woman
Keywords:
Bahinabai, Marathi Bhakti, Varkari Tradition, Tukaram, Women Saints, Domestic Life, Vaishnavism, Gender Roles, Hinduism, Maharashtra, Bhakti LiteratureAbstract
Mary McGee’s article, “The Ordinary Life of an Exceptional Woman, Or, The Exceptional Life of an Ordinary Woman,” examines the spiritual journey of Bahinabai (1628–1700), a Marathi Vaishnava bhakta who embraced her roles as wife and mother while pursuing deep devotion to her guru Tukaram and Lord Vitthal. Unlike renunciant women saints, Bahinabai's life reveals how intense spiritual realization could flourish within domestic constraints. Drawing on her autobiographical abhangas, McGee explores Bahinabai’s inner conflict, the domestic abuse she faced, and the 17th-century Varkari bhakti context that celebrated devotion within everyday life. Despite her significance, Bahinabai was excluded from major hagiographies, which favored more ascetic female saints. McGee positions Bahinabai as a vital counter-narrative in the study of gender and bhakti, showing that the domestic sphere could be a powerful site of spiritual expression.
