Vol. 4, Issue 4, Part A (2018)

Abstract
Tantricism is inextricably inter-linked with the cult of the feminine. Tantric rituals exalt the female deity and celebrate the power (Shakti) of the female form of divinity. In India, alongside the Vedic system of worship, Tantricism has co-existed for centuries. There are references to the Tantric tradition in the epics; similar references have also been found in the Indus Valley civilization. There are many shakti peeths in India but only a few are associated with Tantricism. This article aims to explore the Tantric rituals at the temples of Kamakhya in Assam and Tarapith in West Bengal, in order to establish the significance of the Tantric tradition even in the 21st century.