The Domain of Constant Excess: Plural Worship at the Munnesvaram Temples in Sri LankaThe Sri Lankan ethnic conflict that has occurred largely between Sinhala Buddhists and Tamil Hindus is marked by a degree of religious tolerance that sees both communities worshiping together. This study describes one important site of such worship, the ancient Hindu temple complex of Munnesvaram. Standing adjacent to one of Sri Lanka's historical western ports, the fortunes of the Munnesvaram temples have waxed and waned through the years of turbulence, violence and social change that have been the country's lot since the advent of European colonialism in the Indian Ocean. Bastin recounts the story of these temples and analyses how the Hindu temple is reproduced as a center of worship amidst conflict and competition. |
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Page viii
... Sinhala Buddhist Statuary The Logic of Deity Offerings in Sinhala Buddhism The Presence of Sakti The Goddess and Her 'Mountain' The Identity of Ambal and Kali Guardians, Games and the Formation of Power The Village Guardian Myths of the ...
... Sinhala Buddhist Statuary The Logic of Deity Offerings in Sinhala Buddhism The Presence of Sakti The Goddess and Her 'Mountain' The Identity of Ambal and Kali Guardians, Games and the Formation of Power The Village Guardian Myths of the ...
Page xvii
... Buddhist reliquary Dåksinåmürti (Skt.) – the right or south-facing form (of Siva) darbha (Skt.) – tuft of (kusa) ... Sinhala name of Chilaw haskam (Sinh.) – miracle, marvel hata (Sinh.) – seven hatka††iya (Sinh.) – 'gang of seven', the ...
... Buddhist reliquary Dåksinåmürti (Skt.) – the right or south-facing form (of Siva) darbha (Skt.) – tuft of (kusa) ... Sinhala name of Chilaw haskam (Sinh.) – miracle, marvel hata (Sinh.) – seven hatka††iya (Sinh.) – 'gang of seven', the ...
Page 2
... Buddhist and Sinhalese – an ethnic community with a distinct language as well as other social and cultural ... Sinhala Buddhists worshipped alongside Tamil Saivites in Tamil Saivite temples. In fact, the proportion of Sinhalese ...
... Buddhist and Sinhalese – an ethnic community with a distinct language as well as other social and cultural ... Sinhala Buddhists worshipped alongside Tamil Saivites in Tamil Saivite temples. In fact, the proportion of Sinhalese ...
Page 4
... Sri Lankan Theravada Buddhism (Gombrich 1988). The related context is the Saivite/Buddhist temple complex of Kataragama; the most important temple complex of its kind in all Sri Lanka and one that bears comparison with Munnesvaram in ...
... Sri Lankan Theravada Buddhism (Gombrich 1988). The related context is the Saivite/Buddhist temple complex of Kataragama; the most important temple complex of its kind in all Sri Lanka and one that bears comparison with Munnesvaram in ...
Page 5
... Sinhala Buddhist. For, while the sponsor of the Kali shrine is Tamil Saivite, the aesthetic style of his shrine with its painted statue is more routinely Sinhala Buddhist, and its priest on the day is also Sinhala Buddhist. Finally ...
... Sinhala Buddhist. For, while the sponsor of the Kali shrine is Tamil Saivite, the aesthetic style of his shrine with its painted statue is more routinely Sinhala Buddhist, and its priest on the day is also Sinhala Buddhist. Finally ...
Contents
| 1 | |
| 15 | |
Chapter 3 Myths and Marginality | 43 |
Chapter 4 Ritual Practices and Religious Identity | 59 |
Chapter 5 The Saivite Temple as a Monumental Architecture | 89 |
Puja and Arccanai | 117 |
Chapter 7 The Presence of Sakti | 133 |
Chapter 8 Guardians Games and the Formation of Power | 145 |
Chapter 9 The World Inside Out | 163 |
Chapter 10 The Domain of Excess | 183 |
Divine Kings and Regal Gods Temples in Society and History | 195 |
References | 213 |
Index | 227 |
Other editions - View all
The Domain of Constant Excess: Plural Worship at the Munnesvaram Temples in ... Rohan Bastin No preview available - 2002 |
Common terms and phrases
according action active aesthetic Ambal annual associated attend bathing becomes Bhadrakali temple body Brahmins called caste central century Chapter Chilaw closely coconut complex condition deities demonic described developed devotees discussion divine especially ethnic example existence expression festival Figure flag front goddess ground guardian hall Hindu human important Indian inside involves Jaffna Kali Kataragama king lamp land marked meaning movement Munnesvaram temple myth nature Navaratri noted Obeyesekere offerings origin Pattini pattuva performed Pillaiyar popular possibility potency potentiality practice presence priests procession puja regard region relation religious remains reveals rite ritual Saivite temple sense shrine simply Sinh Sinhala Buddhist Sinhalese situation Siva social sorcery space specific Sri Lanka statue stress symbolic takes Tamil Saivite temple’s theme traditions tree village worship