Throughout South Asia, the Goddess Devi is an important cultural and religious symbol in both Hindu and Buddhist communities. The variety of her forms, both wrathful and peaceful, underscores the dynamic nature of this figure. This lecture examines the roots of the goddess tradition in ancient India and the contemporary aspects of Devi’s worship, addressing issues of gender, power, and authority. Particular attention will be placed on understanding the cultural contexts — religious, philosophical, and political — that motivated the creation of these art objects across the subcontinent by examining key works in the collection of the VMFA.
