The Vaishnavized Uma of Bengali Devotionalism

Abstract

This essay by Rachel Fell McDermott examines the intriguing phenomenon of Uma (Parvati), a traditionally Saiva and Sakta deity, being "Vaishnavized" within Bengali devotionalism, particularly in the Shakta Padavali poetry genre from the 18th to 20th centuries. While seemingly incongruous in a Vaishnava context, this phenomenon highlights the permeable boundaries between different Hindu sampradayas.

The article then explores two main explanations offered by Bengali scholars for this Vaishnava influence: historical prevalence of Vaishnava traditions in Bengal and the inherent "sweetness" (madhurya) of the Bengali emotional character. However, McDermott nuances these explanations, arguing that the Vaishnavism influencing Uma was itself historically colored by Tantric and Sakta elements, suggesting a bidirectional influence rather than a simple one-way flow. Furthermore, she reveals a nuanced Bengali reception to this Vaishnavization, with some finding it endearing while others view it as a dilution of the goddess's inherent strength, reflecting broader cultural anxieties about "spinelessness" in Bengali identity. Finally, the essay points to the contemporary absence of Uma-sangit in its ritual context, Durga Puja, as evidence that the martial, powerful aspect of Durga Mahiashasuramardini remains the dominant cultural representation, even as literary traditions have explored a "softened" Uma.