نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
نویسنده
استادیار هنرهای سنتی، پژوهشگاه میراث فرهنگی و گردشگری، تهران، ایران.
کلیدواژهها
موضوعات
عنوان مقاله English
نویسنده English
Ritual performances in India, some dating back to the 3rd century BC, embody not only ancient aesthetic traditions but also reflect the socio-cultural transformations of the subcontinent. This study investigates the socio-religious role of female ritual dancers, particularly the Devadasis, through a historical analysis from the origins of these traditions to post-independence India. The main question addresses how social, political, and religious structures have shaped the identity, status, and lived experiences of these women. The research traces their shifting roles from temple spaces to contemporary art platforms, highlighting the decisive influence of institutions such as temples, caste hierarchies, and colonial rule in the rise and decline of their positions. Methodologically, the study adopts a socio-historical approach, combining textual analysis with field observations and interviews conducted during the author's research visits to India. The findings suggest that the reconfiguration of women’s roles in ritual performance constitutes a site of intersecting negotiations between tradition, power, and cultural reconstruction in modern India.
کلیدواژهها English
