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. |
From inside the book
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Page 3
Many worshippers attend the bathing and the almsgiving that follows. I attended my first festival in 1985 having already studied a number of Tamil temple festivals from the Eastern Province. The procession and bathing seemed to me to be ...
Many worshippers attend the bathing and the almsgiving that follows. I attended my first festival in 1985 having already studied a number of Tamil temple festivals from the Eastern Province. The procession and bathing seemed to me to be ...
Page 10
It has been the case, then, that during the time of my association with Munnesvaram the temples have prospered, with large numbers of Sinhalese, some Catholic but most Buddhist, attending to make their special requests to the goddesses.
It has been the case, then, that during the time of my association with Munnesvaram the temples have prospered, with large numbers of Sinhalese, some Catholic but most Buddhist, attending to make their special requests to the goddesses.
Page 22
Sinhala Buddhists from Munnesvaram village and from some of the nearby villages attended and supported Pusparamaya, but apart from the classrooms on school days, Pusparamaya was fairly quiet. So too was the Aiyanayake temple, ...
Sinhala Buddhists from Munnesvaram village and from some of the nearby villages attended and supported Pusparamaya, but apart from the classrooms on school days, Pusparamaya was fairly quiet. So too was the Aiyanayake temple, ...
Page 27
Every time I attended I estimated the size of the crowd and attempted to discern its ethnic composition. Sinhalese and Tamils are, however, barely distinguishable from one another by appearance. Tamil women tend to wear saris with a ...
Every time I attended I estimated the size of the crowd and attempted to discern its ethnic composition. Sinhalese and Tamils are, however, barely distinguishable from one another by appearance. Tamil women tend to wear saris with a ...
Page 28
On an average non-festival day, around one hundred and fifty people would attend the Munnesvaram temple for activities ranging from breaking a coconut at the side entrance and not entering the temple to participating in one of the ...
On an average non-festival day, around one hundred and fifty people would attend the Munnesvaram temple for activities ranging from breaking a coconut at the side entrance and not entering the temple to participating 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 |
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 |