The Goddess Lives in Upstate New York: Breaking Convention and Making Home at a North American Hindu Temple

by Corinne G. Dempsey

The Goddess Lives in Upstate New York is a profile of a flourishing Hindu temple in the town of Rush, New York. The temple, established by a charismatic nonbrahman Sri Lankan Tamil known as Aiya, stands out for its combination of orthodox ritual meticulousness and socioreligious iconoclasm. The vitality with which devotees participate in ritual themselves and their ready access to the deities contrasts sharply with ritual activities at most North American Hindu temples, where (following the usual Indian custom) ritual is performed only by priests and access to the highly sanctified divine images is closely guarded. Drawing on several years of fieldwork, Dempsey weaves traditional South Asian tales, temple miracle accounts, and devotional testimonials into an analysis of the distinctive dynamics of diaspora Hinduism. She explores the ways in which the goddess, the guru, and temple members reside at cultural and religious intersections, noting how distinctions between miraculous
and mundane, convention and non-convention, and domestic and foreign are more often intertwined and interdependent than in tidy opposition. This lively and accessible work is a unique and important contribution to diaspora Hindu Studies.

Genres: Anthropology

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[SweetCorn03]

really well done. author is part of the story and writes herself in in such a way as to lend more context to her perspective and approach to the subject.

[Todd Settimo]

I really enjoyed this book. This is a wonderful case study of the Hindu diaspora and how this U.S.-based Srividya temple near Rochester, NY faithfully adheres to the usual temple practices, but democratizes it at the same time by encouraging full participation by the worshippers. Traditionally, these rituals are performed only by priests. The combination of their meticulousness in performing the rituals with their full participation in performing them has served to create a vital community that draws regular attendees from up three hours away.

[Andrea C. Briceño]

A beautiful example of how a religion so culturaly-dependent, like Hinduism, strives to Transcend into a new environment, while still preserving its traditional aspects.