Stonemill and Bhakti

Contents Foreword v Introduction: Handmill and Anthropology 1 PART I Theological Rationalism (a written tradition of pundits) 1 Christian Strategy for India’s Salvation 27 2 Deliverance from the Pangs of Earthly Life 39 3 Considerate Love of God for the Lowly 51 4 Mystical Crushing of Duality 61 5 God’s Companionship with the Destitute 69 PART II The Flour And The Song Peasant Women at the Millstone (an oral tradition of women) 6 The Call to Grind 95 7 The Compulsion to Sing 113 8 A Breath of Laksmi 139 9 Divine Liberties 153 10 Wordly Utopias 167 PART III The Bonds of Hope A Set of Attachments as System of Affective Security 11 Mother and Daughter : Intimate Identification 137 12 Mother and Son : Reassuring Presence 205 13 The Daughter-in-law : In Search of Belonging 215 14 Salvation Through Appropriation 231 Conclusion : Epistemological Perspectives 241 Annexe 1 : Area of Collection : Mawal Corpus 267 Annexe 2: Western Maharashtra Places and Saints of Bhakti Movement 13th – 18th century 268 Annexe 3: Popular Visuals 269