Comparing Feminine Identity in Kashmiri Literature and the Puranas

Classical Indian literature provides multiple images of femininity. This study explores two such texts, the Vakhs of Lal Ded and the Devi Mahatmya and their representations of feminine identity and autonomy. Both the texts, though fundamentally distinct, portray powerful representation of women. The Vakhs of Lal Ded that challenge biased social rules and patriarchal authority are written by a 14th-century Kashmiri mystic in which Lal Ded exhibits a deeply personal and experiential form of spirituality. On the other hand, the Devi Mahatmya, constructs the concept of the divine feminine through the figure of a goddess embodying immense cosmic power. But this version of feminine identity remains largely symbolic and detached from everyday female experience. Through intertextual comparison, this paper examines how two different models of femininity (one human and experiential, and the other ideal and divine) form different perceptions of women’s identity, power, and autonomy. Even though, the portrayal of women as goddesses offers a powerful image of feminine strength, Lal Ded’s voice provides a more relatable and pragmatic world for real women. By throwing light on these two traditions, this paper brings out the tension between symbolic empowerment and lived experiences and reflects how these depictions continue to influence contemporary perceptions of womanhood.