Tantra did not disappear after the medieval period. However, its role and forms gradually changed.
What Happened Next?
Tantric practices continued to exist within various Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Mantra, ritual, deity worship, and initiation remained part of religious life in many regions.
At the same time, some Tantric ideas increasingly became intertwined with:
– Yoga; – temple traditions; – devotional practices; – local religious customs.
Some older schools disappeared, while others changed or continued in new forms.
Did Tantra Become Less Visible?
Not necessarily. Rather, it increasingly became integrated into broader religious traditions and was not always perceived as a separate phenomenon.
Later, during the period of European colonialism, attitudes toward Tantra changed even more dramatically. Western scholars and observers often portrayed it as strange, secretive, or dangerous.
Tantra did not end with the medieval period — it continued to survive, evolve, and adapt to new cultural conditions.
In the next article: Tantra during the period of British colonialism.