Introduction: sources

In the South Asian subcontinent, many women are acknowledged as being saintly. Athough many are connected with Sufi or Sufi-like cults, others would self-identify as Shīʿī, Baul, Sīdī (African Indians of India and Pakistan), or with the name of their particular sect (for example Malang, Qalandar). Many more are saints of unknown affiliation who enjoy local prominence. There has been little published acade…