Loving mother, destructive slayer of demons or manifestation of the Absolute? Folk element in Hinduism or symbol of Brahminical supremacy? When was the cult of goddesses born and why did it spread in India? What are their connections to power on the one hand and to the everyday life of Hindus on the other? What is and what is certainly not Tantrism? These and other questions will be answered on the occasion of a meeting devoted to the cult of goddesses in Hinduism.

The meeting will focus on the origins and specifics of Hindu beliefs centred around various forms of goddesses - most notably Durga. We will talk about both Shakti theology and tantric practices, key mythical narratives and festivals that are linked to the Great Goddess. We will also consider what the Hindu - ambiguous - relationship to the sacred feminine tells us about Indian culture and society.

Krzysztof Gutowski - indologist by education, religious scholar by passion and research practice, employee of the Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures of the Polish Academy of Sciences, co-founder of the Kulturazja portal. His interests focus on the history of religion in South Asia (Vedic religion and early Buddhism), comparative mythology and cognitive and evolutionary theories of religion. A populariser of knowledge about India and Asia, teacher of Indian languages and organiser of cultural studies trips to India.

A lecture by Krzysztof Gutowski as part of the series Understanding Hinduism. Gods-ideas-rituals.