Feeding a Thousand Souls: Women, Ritual, and Ecology in India: An Exploration of the Kolam
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Author Description
Every Day Millions Of Tamil Women In Southeast India Wake Up Before Dawn To Create A Kolam, An Ephemeral Ritual Design Made With Rice Flour, On The Thresholds Of Homes, Businesses And Temples. This Thousand-year-old Ritual Welcomes And Honors Lakshmi, The Goddess Of Wealth And Alertness, And Bhudevi, The Goddess Of The Earth. Created By Hand With Great Skill, Artistry, And Mathematical Precision, The Kolam Disappears In A Few Hours, Borne Away By Passing Footsteps And Hungry Insects. This Is The First Comprehensive Study Of The Kolam In The English Language. It Examines Its Significance In Historical, Mathematical, Ecological, Anthropological, And Literary Contexts. The Culmination Of Vijaya Nagarajan's Many Years Of Research And Writing On This Exacting Ritual Practice, 'feeding A Thousand Souls' Celebrates The Experiences, Thoughts, And Voices Of The Tamil Women Who Keep This Tradition Alive. Beginnings -- Following Lines Of Beauty -- Rituals -- Thresholds -- Antal -- Designs -- Embodied Mathematics -- Competitions: From Village To City -- Embedded Ecologies And The Earth Goddess -- Marrying Trees And Global Warming -- Feeding A Thousand Souls: A Ritual Of Generosity -- Endings.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
How does the daily ritual of creating kolam designs on thresholds function as a complex intersection of artistic, mathematical, ecological, and spiritual practice for Tamil women? Vijaya Nagarajan, an associate professor with extensive expertise in environmental studies and religion, synthesizes years of ethnographic research to analyze the kolam. She argues that this ephemeral art form is not merely decorative but serves as a sophisticated mechanism for maintaining ecological balance, honoring deities, and expressing mathematical precision within the domestic sphere.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Historical and anthropological analysis of the thousand-year-old kolam tradition.
- Examination of the mathematical principles inherent in the design process.
- Exploration of the ecological significance of using rice flour as a food source for insects.
- Qualitative insights derived from the voices and experiences of Tamil women practitioners.
Scope Limits
- The study focuses primarily on the Tamil region of Southeast India.
- The text does not provide a comprehensive history of all Indian floor art forms outside the kolam tradition.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and readers recognize this work as a foundational text for understanding the intersection of ritual practice and environmental stewardship in South Asian culture. Experts highlight the book's ability to bridge academic rigor with accessible prose, making it a significant contribution to both religious studies and anthropology.
Page Count:
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Publication Date:
1900-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press,
ISBN-10:
0190858109
ISBN-13:
9780190858100
Religion
Ecology
Women Tamil--Rites and ceremonies
Ritual Studies
Hindu decoration and ornament
Women Studies
Hinduism
Anthropology
India