Mama is a Man: Gender and the Goddess Śrī Nārāyaṇī of Śrī Puram

Tuesday, October 14, 2014 - 6:30pm
UA Poetry Center, Rubel Room 1508 E. Helen Street Tucson, AZ 85721

Goddesses throughout history have come in many different forms. Some of the world’s oldest and most vibrant goddess traditions exist within the Hindu traditions, but how does goddess-centered devotion and philosophy translate into cultural assumptions about gender? Join us to discuss gender, sex, the divine feminine, and the male incarnation of the goddess Śrī Nārāyaṇī (Amma) at Śrī Puram in Tamil Nadu, India. Learn why Mama (Amma) can be a man. Presented by Caleb Simmons, Assistant Professor in the Religious Studies Program, as part of Humanities Week.
 
Raising hell and blazing trails are both on the agenda for Humanities Week, October 13-17, 2014, presented by the College of Humanities. Meet famous and infamous groundbreakers of the past and delve into a world where gender boundaries are broken and cultural connections are made during the weeklong series of free events. All Humanities Week events are free and open to the public and most are held in the Dorothy Rubel Room at the University of Arizona Poetry Center, 1508 E. Helen Street, unless otherwise noted.  For more detailed descriptions of the lectures, please visit hw.arizona.edu or call (520) 621-0210.
 
The College of Humanities is home to programs devoted to the study of the world’s languages, literatures, and cultures. The college consists of 13 individual units as well as several other academic and overseas-study programs.