Giving Form to the Formless: Purāṇic and Visual Expressions of the Great Goddess in Medieval India

• Applicant: Sandra Sattler, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Asian Studies
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 561912241

In the early medieval period, the Goddess cult in South Asia solidified, shaped by seminal texts like the Devīpurāṇa and Devīmāhātmya, which formalised the concept of Mahādevī, the Great Goddess. Conceived as a universal source from whom all goddesses emanate, Mahādevī was depicted across these Sanskrit texts and temple art, particularly between the eighth and 13th centuries. Despite the richness of visual material, research has largely focused on textual and anthropological perspectives, often overlooking medieval goddess temples. My project will investigate representations of Mahādevī in North Indian stone temples and contemporaneous texts, especially the early Śākta Purāṇas, of which the Devīpurāṇa remains critically understudied. This work will explore the synergies between philosophy, narrative, and architecture within the Goddess tradition. Employing a dual approach—a broad cross-regional and cross-dynastic analysis, followed by an examination of local histories through specific case studies—this research will archive previously undocumented temples, addressing pressing needs in cultural heritage preservation. This investigation of temple art and texts will culminate in the first monograph on the expressions of the Great Goddess in medieval India, accompanied by a peer-reviewed journal article and project website.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants