Devi-complex

A unique psychopathology affecting, in particular, bourgeoisie Indian women of Bihari ethnicity. The affliction is characterized by a deep-seated belief in pagan Hindu deities; an inherent yearning to sacrifice self-interests for familial wellbeing; a recurring attitude of ethical superiority; and an affinity to equate one’s actions with the doctrine of divine sanctity. A subgenre of desi-feminism, Devi-complex manifests as a function of a conservative culture, an increasingly prejudiced and orthodox media, and an obnoxious society that collectively objectifies womanhood by contextualizing it to the extreme ends of the morality spectrum. Overall, this pervasive disorder undermines the interests of Indian women by rendering them vulnerable to psychoemotional manipulation.

Ma always said that all she ever needed from life was to watch her son be happy; an extreme case of Devi-complex, indeed.