Shakti The Power

Shakti the Power

Shakti is a religious Hindu word derived from its script called Sanskrit. Shakti means power, but people in Tamilnadu and eastern Srilanka have special meaning for it. It is the heart and secret women power because women have special status in the Tamil society. It is found in every drop of female blood. Blood is a center of Shakti. People believe that every type of food we eat turns into blood (1).

Family members become happy during first period of a girl because she is becoming 'Cumangali' (2), a married woman with husband and children (3). Secreting much blood during period is the indication of her power (4). Tamil people celebrate the girl's first menstruation delightfully. The early stages of menstruation and sexual feeling, when a girl comes to age are considered to be the result of excessive blood production. Women have more blood naturally, thus they have more Shakti than men do, but after menstruation, they loss some Shakti. Tamils believe that this sexual process can be transformed into mental and spiritual power (5).

Cumangali is the most powerful person in Tamil culture, which is observed by the unmarried girl. These female statuses represent two major kinds of goddesses, the great goddesses and the Amman. A woman who has an easy delivery during birth is considered to becoming an Amman, who is regarded as a more powerful by her capability of bringing good fortune (6).

Blood is the source of sexual fluid, which happens, when a person reaches puberty and much blood is produced. Tamils believe, loss of semen through sex drains blood while retention in adolescence promoting a man's physical and spiritual development. The intensity of sexual desire is proportional to the rate of excess blood production, and amount of semen. The virginal form of female control that complements male sexual control is chastity (Karpu), which is concentrated particularly in the breasts and has intimate connection between ascetic, and erotic ideals in Saivite mythology (7).

According to Hindu beliefs, two different aspects of the universe exist formed by male principle. The male aspect is passive and cool, where as female aspect is active and hot. It is called Siva-Shakti in Tamil culture, which is the paring of the god Siva, who is the protector of the world and Shakti; his wife provides all powers for the things to occur (8). In Tamil villages, goddesses are considered very hot and vital in their life. The concept of male "coolness" and female "heat" is directly carried in thinking about men versus women. Women are hotter than men because they have more blood. Blood is the source for the body strength and power, so it is believe to be incarnation of the cosmic female principle of energy, Shakti (9).

Tamils believe that local goddesses are the incarnations of heavenly powers. They perform "firewalking" rituals to celebrate the power of goddess. It is the ritual that people walk on the burning coal with bare feet. They use turmeric paste and margosa leaves to cool devotees who perform this ritual. Such practices are helpful for some problems, like a sick child or a lost cow. A person wears protective cotton string around his neck during the religious period, before the annual "firewalking" begins (10). Tamils believe that the invisible layer of goddess sari over the burning coals protects the devotee's feet from burning. For the participants, it is the goddess's power to control the heat and protection of devotees from harm (11).

Tamil women are believed to have amazing powers that can bring prosperity to life, or from destruction to death. People believe that women have power to save their husband's death. A woman's blessing is considered good and curse is feared. She can direct the powers, when directed her power as a virgin girl brings goodness to her father and brother, as a married woman can bring health, prosperity and son to her husband's family (12).

A married Tamil woman is bound, which her great powers of order. This binding begins with puberty, which includes outward cultural control by wearing a sari and knotting hair is a sign of inward self-control. The girl is physically restricted as well as her behavior is limited like she cannot meet the foreign people. Puberty signifies the beginning of self-control, self-modification, self-binding (13).

Another binding is marriage, when she wears a wide bordered marriage sari and tali, tied by her husband. Her behavior is even more limited and her self-control is expected (14). The Shakti of women is the cause of husband's success. Tamil believe that dedicating their life to men helps to overcome any marital battle, which increases their powers (15).

In conclusion, we can say that all the stages of life from Cumangali to binding discussed above are very important in Tamil's lives.