Real Men and Ideal Women: Construction of Gender in the Aṣṭayāmalīlā

Authors

  • A. Whitney Sanford

Keywords:

Braj Bhakti, A. Whitney Sanford, Gender Construction, Krishna, Lilas, Padas, Bhava, Femininity

Abstract

The article "REAL MEN AND IDEAL WOMEN: CONSTRUCTION OF GENDER IN THE AÍÊAYAMALILA" by A. Whitney Sanford, examines the construction of gender roles within the Braj bhakti tradition, specifically focusing on the A߆ayåmalîlå festival. It analyzes how devotees adopt "female" identities as a ritual for arousing emotion (bhava) in their devotion to Krishna. The article explores the use of male actors in female roles within lilas (dramas) and padas (devotional songs) to facilitate this emotional connection. It discusses the various modes of femininity presented in these performances and texts, drawing on the works of Paramånand and the aesthetic theories of Bharatamuni and Rupa Goswami. The study investigates how these gender constructs in sacred time and space relate to and potentially reinforce or subvert gender roles in everyday life, focusing on the interplay between idealized representations and the experiences of "real" men and women.

Published

1997-12-13