The Kapalikas and Kalamukhas

The Kapalikas and Kalamukhas delves into the mysterious histories and practices of the Kapalikas and Kalamukhas, two Saivite sects that thrived in medieval India before fading into obscurity. Often misunderstood and depicted through the critical lenses of their adversaries or incomplete inscriptions, these sects provide a window into the diversity of Hindu religious traditions. The Kapalikas, known for their extreme asceticism and transgressive rituals centered on the Mahavrata (Great Vow), worshipped Siva in his fierce forms and embraced practices involving cremation grounds and human skulls. In contrast, the Kalamukhas maintained a more structured presence, establishing monastic centers and temples, particularly in the Mysore region, where they flourished between the 10th and 13th centuries. Despite their doctrinal ties to the Pasupata lineage, the Kalamukhas have often been mischaracterized for their tantric associations, which this study reexamines with fresh evidence from epigraphic records.

Through a critical synthesis of literary sources, inscriptions, and theological critiques, this work reconstructs the doctrines, rituals, and social roles of these enigmatic sects. It challenges earlier scholarly biases that painted these groups as peripheral or extreme, emphasizing their contributions to the evolution of Saivite thought and medieval Indian religious practices. By shedding light on their complex socio-religious contexts, this study not only rescues the Kapalikas and Kalamukhas from historical obscurity but also underscores their importance in understanding the pluralistic fabric of Indian spirituality.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1972.