This paper will focus on the traditional or Agamic temples of South India, to explore the reasons why women are largely absent in significant hereditary roles determining the continuation of its art and ritual practices even at present. The art/ritual practice that women are primarily associated with is kolam-making. Kolams are geometric and abstract floor designs that are drawn by hand using impermanent materials like rice flour to mark the auspiciousness of an entryway, a festive occasion or time of the day. These are mostly done as voluntary services at temples by women in the locality, especially during festival days. The nature of this art is informal and ephemeral compared to the other codified and more permanent temple art forms, which women are not allowed to make. The limited and conditional access for female practitioners in Hindu temples is based upon restrictions constructed around the divine power, which the temple is designed to establish and maintain. This paper will study and locate the absence of women as contemporary temple art practitioners in the intersection of the meanings of being female and the meanings of Hindu temple forms and spaces.

中文翻译：

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印度教寺庙艺术中的女性

本文将重点关注南印度的传统或阿加米姆寺庙，探讨为何女性在很大程度上缺席决定其艺术和仪式实践延续的重要世袭角色的原因。女性主要参与的艺术/仪式实践是科拉姆-制作。科拉姆这些是几何和抽象的地板设计，使用米粉等非永久性材料手工绘制，以标记入口通道、节日场合或一天中的时间。这些活动大多是当地妇女在寺庙里进行的志愿服务，特别是在节日期间。与其他编纂的、更永久的寺庙艺术形式相比，这种艺术的本质是非正式的和短暂的，而女性是不允许制作这些艺术形式的。印度教寺庙对女性修行者的有限和有条件的准入是基于围绕神圣力量而构建的限制，而寺庙的目的是建立和维护这种力量。本文将在女性的意义与印度教寺庙形式和空间的意义的交叉点上研究和定位女性作为当代寺庙艺术实践者的缺席。