History of the Tripurasundarī Tradition in Nepal

14.10.2022 15:15 - 17:00

Ramhari Timalsina | Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften

Historically, Śāktism or goddess worshipping culture has remained very popular in Nepal. Not just that various pantheons found their way from Bengal and Kashmir to different parts of Nepal, even practices from the remote south of the subcontinent found their home in the Himalayan region. The story of the origins and settlement of the Tripurasundarī tradition makes a compelling case, not just for religious history, but also for social transactions in medieval Nepal. Originally a minor deity within the broader Kubjikā pantheon with the name Kāmeśvarī, Tripurasundarī became prominent during the medieval period. There must have been many factors responsible for the increasing centrality of Kāmeśvarī. The scope of my paper is to address the concrete history of her tradition in Nepal, through the exploration of inscriptions and other historical documents.

Organiser:
ISTB
Location:
Seminarraum 1, Institut für Südasien-, Tibet- und Buddhismuskunde Campus der Universität Wien Spitalgasse 2, Hof 2.7, 1090 Wien