A WOMAN'S EXPERIENCE OF RELIGIOUS SYMBOLISM IN A CROSS CULTURAL SETTING
Keywords:
Women, Religious Symbolism, Cross Culture, Sri Vaishnava Culture, Art, Darsan, Masculine SymbolismAbstract
The following reflections are essentially cross-cultural and autobiographical. They have arisen from my search as a woman to discover and develop my relationship with truth/God. This has been an important part of my search to become a creative artist/person. There aretwo main parts. The first focuses on the place given to feminine imagery and experience in Sri Vaisnavism, It reflects on the way that Nammalvar! as a man has creatively entered into the feminine experience. It shows how art and ritual can be a powerful means for transforming and broadening the mind and imagination. The second part explores masculine imagery in the JUdaic Story of Exodus, and how based on the example of Namrnalvar, a woman could imaginatively relate to this symbolism.
References
Friedheim Hardv, "Viraha·Bhakti" (0. U.P., Oxford 1983) pp. 308-370.
P.N. Srinivasachari, "The Philosophy of VisiStadvaita". (The Adyar Library and Research Centre, Madras, 1978) p. 448.
Srirama Bharati and Sowbhagya Lakshmi "The Tiruvaimoli of Nammalvar", (Tyaga Bharati, Melkote, 1987) Preface.
Rosemary Radford Reuther "Sexism and God - Talk" (SCM Press, London, 1983), pp. 127-130.
Aruna Gnanadason "The Glass Window", Jeevadhara. A Journal of Christian Interpretation (May 1987) pp, 205-209.
Exodus 3:14 (Jerusalem Bible, D.L.T. London 1968).
