Experiencing the Goddess: On the Trail of the Yoginis

Language: ENGLISH
Pages: 170 (Through out Black and White and Color Illustrastions)\nINTRODUCTION
From the outset of my research on the Yoginis, I met dedicated and brilliant people with whom I became friends and began to meet with on a regular basis. We shared ideas, books and experiences and travelled together to many ancient sites, particularly to those related to the divine female energies.
Nilima Chitgopekar became essential to our gatherings, as she possesses a remarkable visionary mind and a vast store of knowledge. Her passionate interest in her field allowed her to provide a clear historical and factual framework for our discussions. Janet Chawla brought a perspective based on years of research on Indian women's birth rituals and the worship of ambivalent "birth goddesses"-responsible for the life or death of the new born. Her observations allowed us to make links with both the dangerous and protective aspects of the Yoginis. Seema Kohli's spirituality expressed through paintings, sculptures, films and performances, grounded our discussions about allegory and colours. Anamika Roy studied the mysteries of the Yoginis and was my first link to an art history scholar. She was of critical help in my early research. We also gave talks together in Delhi and Varanasi when I launched a small guidebook on reaching the Yogini sites and temples.
I deeply enjoyed discovering the many faces of the Yoginis and their historical and spiritual importance. They are present in folk tales, mentioned in different ancient texts and their temples are a testimony of their indisputable importance. Yet, it was only around the 10th century that the Yogini's spiritual path flourished. The momentum of their glory was accompanied by new ideas. Women were seen as having equal spiritual possibilities to men. In India, before and after the "special period" the c