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8
'Problematics of Motherhood' Thls chapter provides a global
perspective of motherhood - a historical, cultural and
llterary backdrop - tracing the existence of motherhood
patterns as enshrined In Eastern and Western rellglons,
myths and literatures down the centuries and across varlous
mllleus, rndlcating how these factors play on the fenale
psyche, naturalislng and lngralnlng both the terrlble and
benevolent aspects of motherhood
1.3.0. The role of rellglon In structuring the
lnscltutlon of motherhood cannot be overlooked Over the
centuries, cultural practices have been 3ustlf1ed on
rellglous grounds Even customs whlch prove detrimental to
the soclety or the individual have been ]ustlfled on acccunt
of havlng relrglous / mytholoylcal precedents Wtere
motherhood 1s concerned, rellglon provldes models of rhe
ldeal mother, taklng lt for granted that women follow them
In all respects The flgure of the Vlrgln Mary stands at
ttle helm as a model of Christian vlrtues, both pagan and
Chrlstlan Images of the mother domlnate Afro-Amerllan
belleis, and in Indla, the concept of the ideal Hlndu wcmn
1s based on mother-goddesses and mythlc models from the
Rsmayana, Mahabharata and other Puranas
1.3.1. The worshlp of the mother has become an intecral
part of the Hmdu psyche that the Hlndu often merges the