Region, Religion and Trance : Visnu and Sakti Worship in Bengal and Assam

In the landscapes of Assam and Bengal, two powerful streams of Hindu faith-Vaisnavism, centred on love and surrender to Krishna, and Śāktism, rooted in the fierce worship of the Great Goddess- have long coexisted in a creative and dynamic dichotomy. This study traces their evolving interplay from the sixteenth to the twentieth centuries, revealing not only contestation but also forms of syncretism that gave rise to distinctive traditions, including Sahajiyā devotion, Krishna-Kālī lore, Baul musical ecstasy, and blended ritual practices.

Drawing on extensive fieldwork across the Satras of Majuli and temples in Goalpara and Kolkata, as well as oral histories, Purāņic texts, and contemporary religious practices, the author explores the shared realms of music, trance, orality, and embodiment that connect these traditions while preserving their distinctiveness. From Śańkaradeva's Eka Śaraņa Nāma Dharma to the complex and polythetic relationships among the Goddess, Yoginī, and witch, this work illuminates the fluidity of faith and worship. Like the two great rivers of the region-the Ganga and the Brahmaputra-these traditions flow alongside, intersect with, and reshape one another, revealing the profound complexities of religion, identity, and devotional practice.