The Lajjagauri and Anandanayaki: A New Light on the Nature and Worship of the Adi-Mata, the Primordial Mother

Lajjagauri is perhaps one of India's oldest goddesses, with images of her found in South Asia dating back to the Indus Civilisation c. 3000 to 1500 B.C.E. Her devotees can be traced back even earlier, to the Ukraine c. 10,000 B.C.E. In India, new finds continue to expand the geographical spread of Lajjagauri's devotees, most recently to Odisa. Ḍhere's work on Lajjagauri - a study of the meanings of the visual representations of the Goddess - is based on a tireless pursuit of her image throughout western India. In contrast to the other thousands of Indian goddesses whose images are superabundant, Lajjagauri has become more reclusive as other deities have risen. This work by the towering Maraṭhi cultural specialist Dr Ramacandra Cintamaṇ Ḍhere is a unique and important study, painstakingly and lovingly translated into English by Dr Jayant Bapaṭ.