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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the Mango Shoot ritual that celebrates the birth of Pattini from a mango; a key event in the annual festival at Munnesvaram where it is called in Tamil, the Hunting Festival amman (Tm.) – goddess Amma Pål (Tm.) – 'Mother Milk', ...
... so∂asa subharcånam (Skt.) – the '16 Splendid Embellishments', the full and most complete puja rite performed during the annual festival so ̄hon (Sinh) – cemetery sthambana (Skt.) – 'paralysing', a type of sorcery sthambaman .
F. Cagnola S.J., Jesuit Annual Letter, Cochin, 5 December 16102 The Jesuits' vivid description, notwithstanding the obvious missionary zeal that colours this account, provides a certain kind of understanding of Munnesvaram that ...
This book is primarily about the annual festival, a month long event involving thousands of people from all over the country. Those who know temple festivals like Munnesvaram's know that their prime element is people, lots of them.
The regular rites of the day, week and month, as well as the special rites for the goddesses, form a prelude to my discussion of the annual festival held around August/September. I commence my discussion in Chapter 8 in one of 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 |
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The Domain of Constant Excess: Plural Worship at the Munnesvaram Temples in ... Rohan Bastin No preview available - 2002 |