In Tamil Nadu, the nine-night autumnal Navar¿tri festival can be viewed as a
celebration of feminine powers in association with the goddess. This book explores
Navar¿tri as it is celebrated in the South Indian temple town of Kanchipuram. It
investigates the local mythologies of the goddess, two temple celebrations, and the
domestic ritual practice known as kolu (doll displays). The author highlights three
intersecting themes: namely the play of the goddess in myth and ritual, the
religious agency and images of women and the divine feminine, and notions of
playfulness in Navar¿tri rituals, as articulated in creativity, aesthetics,
competition, and dramatic expressions.