10 used & new from $8.50

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
 
Oh Terrifying Mother: Sexuality, Violence and Worship of the Goddess Kali
  

Oh Terrifying Mother: Sexuality, Violence and Worship of the Goddess Kali (Paperback)

~ (Author)
3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)


Available from these sellers.


1 new from $147.38 9 used from $8.50

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
  Hardcover, May 10, 2000 -- $60.98 $15.00
  Paperback, August 15, 2001 -- $147.38 $8.50

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar

Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar

by Elizabeth U. Harding
4.1 out of 5 stars (8)  $16.20
The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (Dover Value Editions)

The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (Dover Value Editions)

by Anthony Giddens
4.3 out of 5 stars (35)  $9.95
The Return of Martin Guerre

The Return of Martin Guerre

by Natalie Zemon Davis
4.2 out of 5 stars (21)  $14.04
The Witch-Hunt in Early Modern Europe

The Witch-Hunt in Early Modern Europe

by Brian P. Levack
4.3 out of 5 stars (6)  $35.44
Medicine of Light: A Shaman's Journey Through Mystic Space-Time

Medicine of Light: A Shaman's Journey Through Mystic Space-Time

by Amarananda Bhairavan
Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

Review


"I recommend the book as a new classic and primary source in post-modern anthropology... The brilliance of Caldwell's text is in giving the reader an experience akin to the audience at the ritual."--Journal of Anthropological Research


Product Description

Oh Terrifying Mother is an anthropological exploration of a South Indian ritual in which male actors become possessed by the fierce goddess Bhagvati as a divine offering. By providing an on-the-ground look at the many meanings of Kali to those who worship her, this book fills an important niche in the burgeoning literature on Hindu goddesses.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 340 pages
  • Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (August 16, 2001)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0195657969
  • ISBN-13: 978-0195657968
  • Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6 x 0.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 11.7 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,088,488 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

More About the Author

Sarah Caldwell
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Visit Amazon's Sarah Caldwell Page

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Oh Terrifying Mother: Sexuality, Violence and Worship of the Goddess Kali
91% buy the item featured on this page:
Oh Terrifying Mother: Sexuality, Violence and Worship of the Goddess Kali 3.7 out of 5 stars (3)
Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar
8% buy
Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar 4.1 out of 5 stars (8)
$16.20
Tantric Visions of the Divine Feminine: The Ten Mahavidyas
2% buy
Tantric Visions of the Divine Feminine: The Ten Mahavidyas 4.5 out of 5 stars (2)
$16.10

Tag this product

 (What's this?)
Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.
Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

 

Customer Reviews

3 Reviews
5 star:
 (2)
4 star:    (0)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.7 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
5.0 out of 5 stars excellent ethnographic work on muttiyetu and related culture, October 22, 2009
By Sundari "Sundari" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
This book is an excellent example of critical ethnography, exploring the depths of the ritual art of muttiyetu, the theatrical ritual event in which male dancers become possessed by the deities they portray. Caldwell's multifaceted approach is by all means controversial - she employs a variety of methods to paint a full and in-depth portrait of this intense, arresting art form.

Each chapter unfolds like one of the ritual powder drawings created at the beginning of every ritual performance, as Caldwell employs both technical skill and personal insight through her field journals to show the entire process of research as well as the result of the research itself. In so doing, this is not a typical ethnography, but instead a rich and compelling story of both the subjects of her research as well as her own journey and transformation as the researcher. The start of each successive chapter brushes away the assumptions created in the last, just as the powder drawing is destroyed as part of the ritual, yet still creating a more complex and full picture of the world of muttiyetu in the process.

Caldwell's findings have certainly upset some right-wing Hindus, particularly when she uncovers some culturally uncomfortable behaviors that seem to be rather common amongst young Keralan men, and employs Freudian analysis to connect and extrapolate the tense and complex relationships between men and women into the dance itself. But Caldwell herself writes in the introduction to the book that she doesn't know if this is successful, and that each reader has to make their own judgment from all the evidence presented.

Contrary to what another reviewer wrote here, I find Caldwell's knowledge of Hinduism and Keralan culture to be very solid, as she demonstrates with her writing. However, her controversial findings may cause discomfort to some readers. I encourage a close reading of the text in its entirety, which will reveal the book as a suggestion of several perspectives, rather than a declaration of absolute fact.

This is a must-read for anyone interested in this art form, but also for those writing critical ethnographies and interested in organic inquiry as part of the ethnographic process.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
1 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars Do not buy this book., December 19, 2006
Completely inaccurate. The author does not understand Hinduism and nor does she understand the worship of the Goddess.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
2 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Very nice book, May 28, 2000
By A Customer
This book is very nice. It talks about the problems that mothers have in their life. Kinds, Husbend and many other problems mother has. A very intresting book. I strongly recommend it!
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums



So You'd Like to...


Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject

 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.



Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.