Description:
This paper explores the popular narratives of tapas (or ascetic penance) of MÄ?riyammaá¹?, a south Indian goddess of diseases associated with poxes. Unlike the tapas of the goddess P?rvat? of Śaiva temple legends (talapur?ṇams), which is predicated upon her erotic longing to re/unite with the male god Śiva through marriage, M?riyammaṉ's tapas aims to subvert the male authority through pox-affliction and/or violence. In the narratives, not only is M?riyammaṉ's marriage with Śiva ruled out, but Śiva's conventional androgynous (Ardhan?r?) form is appropriated by her in such a way that her supreme authority and cosmic sovereignty are reinforced. M?riyammaṉ's tapas provides a model of female asceticism that underscores a significant female autonomy.