Tale of Yakshis : Merging Myth and Misogyny in South Indian Narratives

Words by Keerthana Sukesh

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The front cover of the New Yorker Magazine issue from July 22, 1961. It shows three tourists from South Asia looking through binoculars from a skyscraper viewing platform. (Available now)

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Tale of Yakshis : Merging Myth and Misogyny in South Indian Narratives

LEFT: Yakshi at Bharhut stupa, c. first century B.C.E., Madhya Pradesh. RIGHT: Mithuna, Karle Caves, Maharashtra, 2nd century C.E.

In South Indian popular culture, Yakshis are depicted as bloodthirsty female ghosts who often have had a tragic human past. The actual origins of Yakshis are obscure and antiquated as they predate Vedic times. Aside from the ghoulish characterization, Yakshis were believed to be nature deities signifying trees, rivers, and hills. They were later incorporated into Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism during Vedic times and known to be secondary tutelary/guardian type deities to the Gods and Goddesses of the upper echelons in Hinduism. Their new servitude status is the result of widespread Brahmanization which led to appropriation and assimilation of indigenous culture into the dominant Hinduism fold. Thus began the devolvement of Yakshis, much like the fate of the Valkyries, Fairies, Leprechauns, and Djinns, which were also usurped by dominating religions. The misogynistic and casteist downfall of Yakshis into demonic and evil female spirits was then popularized in Kerala literature starting from Kottarathil Sankunni’s ‘Aithihymala’ to Malayatoor Ramakrishnan’s ‘Yakshi’.