The Avatar and its “Incarnation” in a Postmodern World: Journal of Vaishnava Studies

Abstract

In January of 2010, I crowded excitedly into a local movie theater to see James Cameron’s groundbreaking film, Avatar. I had heard about Avatar for months, and the experience itself did not disappoint—a vivid extravaganza of pulsepounding adventure, breathtaking beauty, and special effects that reached out of the screen and grabbed me in my seat. Like many people seeing James Cameron’s
film, I knew that the idea of an “avatar” came from the tradition of Hinduism. The blue Na’vi people in the film resembled the blue skin of Krishna as depicted in East Indian art, and the notion of a savior incarnating to redeem the native people echoed Indic epic myths. However, watching Avatar had a special personal significance for me as well.