International Journal of History

Author(s): Ajeet Kumar

Abstract: This paper examines the multifaceted religious landscape of medieval Mithilā, a region that evolved into a vibrant crucible of diverse belief systems, ritual practices, and philosophical thought. While Vedic orthodoxy laid the initial foundation, Mithilā also preserved strong non-Vedic elements such as the cult of Śiva's bow, Śālagrāma worship, and indigenous ancestor rituals. The Upaniṣadic dialogues of Janaka and Yājñavalkya reveal both resistance to Brahmanical hierarchy and the rise of speculative spiritual traditions. Jainism and Buddhism further enriched the intellectual and ascetic milieu of the region, leaving enduring legacies despite their later decline and absorption into the Hindu fold. By the medieval period, Hindu devotional currents, including Śaivism, Śāktism, and Vaiṣṇavism, had gained predominance, producing a corpus of Maithili literature, particularly in the works of Vidyāpati, that emphasized divine unity while affirming plural modes of worship. Nevertheless, it was Tantricism that provided the most integrative framework, assimilating local cults, domestic rituals, agrarian festivals, and esoteric practices into a comprehensive religious system. Tantric cults of goddesses such as Tārā, Ugratārā, and Katyāyanī, alongside widespread household rituals like aripāna and gosāinī pūjā, reveal the penetration of Tantra into both elite and popular religiosity. The study argues that Mithilā's religious history exemplifies the processes of negotiation, synthesis, and transformation through which Indian religiosity as a whole evolved. Sacred pluralities in Mithilā were not static co-existences but dynamic intertwinings that made the region a microcosm of India's broader religious culture.

DOI: 10.22271/27069109.2023.v5.i2b.542

Pages: 141-146 | Views: 256 | Downloads: 120

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