Page 14 - THE CHANGING WORLD OF RAY

lation, when it is understood in the frame, looking down

to be one with the universal at those worshipping her,

spirit (atman, purusa)’ (Mor- illustrates the intimacy of

ris 1994: 78). By contrast, the visual exchange between

the dark Shadow of Kalik- goddess and worshippers.

inkar carries: ‘an emotional Bhatti and Pinney defined

nature, a kind of autonomy, the exchange of looks in the
and accordingly an obsessive context of puja (worship) as

or, better, possessive quali- darshan dena and darshan

ty’ (CW Vol. 9 Part II, 1968: lena (‘giving and taking’

8-11). darshan, 2011: 226). In a

Durkheimian, moral sense,

Gradually, this lu- the good ‘energy’ of darshan
minous image of the sacred is seen as collective. On this

ideal of Ma, dissolves into moral basis, it is opposed

the sad face of Doya. A zoom- to self-interest, envy, greed,

out reveals her positioning, and egoism, which are the

sitting in the centre of the sources of nazar lagjani (‘evil

village’s temple at daylight, eye’). This moral opposition
and being the focus of atten- of darshan and nazar echoes

tion by her devoted and des- Durkheim’s contrast of ‘re-

perate spectators. A series ligion’ to ‘magic’, the former

of juxtapositions of gazes defined in terms of common

further reveals the extent good (collective), the latter in

of the collective devotion at- terms of self-interest (Ibid.:

tributed to her alleged heal- 238). However, although
ing, protective, and forgiving Kalikinkar’s paternal gaze

powers. A reverse angle then superficially takes the form

reveals Doya’s/Durga’s gaze, of darshan, this is accompa-

facing this collectively irra- nied by his envy (i.e. nazar)

tional situation from which towards his incompetent

she is alienated as a result of son. In the sense, Devi offers

being the sacred focus of at- a dynamic moral reverse of
tention. Her higher position the Durkheimian model of