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 xv
ritual specialist ågama (Skt.) – tradition, knowledge, authority ågama nilåyam (Skt.) – temple library ågamas (Tm.) – the core texts of Tamil Saivism (in Anglicised plural form) aisvarya (Skt.) – regal power aiyyå (Sinh.) ...
ritual specialist ågama (Skt.) – tradition, knowledge, authority ågama nilåyam (Skt.) – temple library ågamas (Tm.) – the core texts of Tamil Saivism (in Anglicised plural form) aisvarya (Skt.) – regal power aiyyå (Sinh.) ...
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Each temple is owned and run by a distinct group of Tamil Hindu priests, and each temple largely conforms to the ... to find a religious site where Sinhala Buddhists worshipped alongside Tamil Saivites in Tamil Saivite temples.
Each temple is owned and run by a distinct group of Tamil Hindu priests, and each temple largely conforms to the ... to find a religious site where Sinhala Buddhists worshipped alongside Tamil Saivites in Tamil Saivite temples.
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Without being typical, trance behaviour is a key component of contemporary Tamil Saivite worship, but I am fairly certain all of the people involved that day at the river were Sinhala Buddhists (with possibly some Roman Catholics).
Without being typical, trance behaviour is a key component of contemporary Tamil Saivite worship, but I am fairly certain all of the people involved that day at the river were Sinhala Buddhists (with possibly some Roman Catholics).
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Most importantly, the spectacle feeds into the development of the bo tree site, a development that now includes a Kali shrine created, in effect, by the Munnesvaram deities and by the dynamic of religious practice, both Tamil Saivite ...
Most importantly, the spectacle feeds into the development of the bo tree site, a development that now includes a Kali shrine created, in effect, by the Munnesvaram deities and by the dynamic of religious practice, both Tamil Saivite ...
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Through my account of this history I explain the unusual fact (for Sri Lanka) that both the Munnesvaram and Bhadrakali temples are owned and run by their Tamil Saivite priests. This is important because through their ownership the ...
Through my account of this history I explain the unusual fact (for Sri Lanka) that both the Munnesvaram and Bhadrakali temples are owned and run by their Tamil Saivite priests. This is important because through their ownership the ...
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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
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Domain of Constant Excess: Plural Worship at the Munnesvaram Temples in Sri Lanka |
| Author | Rohan Bastin |
| Publisher | Berghahn Books, 2002 |
| ISBN | 1789203678, 9781789203677 |
| Length | 254 pages |
| Subjects | › › Religion / General Social Science / Anthropology / General |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |