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
Results 1-5 of 69
Page xix
... nature of this world mōdaham ( Tm . ) – modaka ( Skt . ) – special type of sweet pastry linked particu- larly to the god Pillaiyar mohana ( Skt . ) – ' bewildering ' , a type of sorcery mokşa ( Skt . ) – release from existential fetters ...
... nature of this world mōdaham ( Tm . ) – modaka ( Skt . ) – special type of sweet pastry linked particu- larly to the god Pillaiyar mohana ( Skt . ) – ' bewildering ' , a type of sorcery mokşa ( Skt . ) – release from existential fetters ...
Page xxi
... nature of bodily decay; an iconographic feature of representations of the deity Aiyanayake Sevvai (Tm.) – Mars sikkhara (Skt.) – the crest or peak, the pinnacle of any shrine tower Sikuru (Sinh.) – Venus Silappadikåram (Tm.) – 'The ...
... nature of bodily decay; an iconographic feature of representations of the deity Aiyanayake Sevvai (Tm.) – Mars sikkhara (Skt.) – the crest or peak, the pinnacle of any shrine tower Sikuru (Sinh.) – Venus Silappadikåram (Tm.) – 'The ...
Page 4
... nature of 'bhakti reli- giosity' (Gombrich and Obeyesekere 1988) and thereby link it to processes of social transformation, specifically urbanisation, my interpretation is concerned with how a temple complex like Munnesvaram enables ...
... nature of 'bhakti reli- giosity' (Gombrich and Obeyesekere 1988) and thereby link it to processes of social transformation, specifically urbanisation, my interpretation is concerned with how a temple complex like Munnesvaram enables ...
Page 6
... composition of the body of worshippers and I examine the nature of the physical location of the Munnesvaram complex in the religious topography of the island. The social composition of worship raises -6- The Domain of Constant Excess.
... composition of the body of worshippers and I examine the nature of the physical location of the Munnesvaram complex in the religious topography of the island. The social composition of worship raises -6- The Domain of Constant Excess.
Page 7
... nature and content of worship, and thereby lessened the excluding influence of major interest groups such as members of the Tamil Saivite middle class as well as the Sinhala Buddhist middle class. Both middle-class Tamils and Sinhalese ...
... nature and content of worship, and thereby lessened the excluding influence of major interest groups such as members of the Tamil Saivite middle class as well as the Sinhala Buddhist middle class. Both middle-class Tamils and Sinhalese ...
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
aesthetic Aiyanar annual festival arccanai articulation associated Astara Astara Devata bandara bathing rite becomes Bhadrakali temple Bhairavar Brahmins Buddhist revitalisation camphor caste Chapter chariot Chilaw coconut coconut game Colombo consciousness cosmic daily rites deities demonic described devotees Diseased King divine dynamic ethnic expression firewalking flag flagpole gaze goddess guardian hall ibid important inner road inner sanctum Jaffna Kali Kapferer 1997a Kataragama Kramrisch lamp linga Maradankulam Munnes Munnesvaram festival Munnesvaram priests Munnesvaram temple Murugan Navaratri Obeyesekere 1984 offerings Pattini performed Pillaiyar temple popular potency potentiality practice presence procession puja Purusa relation religious ritual sacrifice Saivism sakti sense shrine simply Sinh Sinhala Buddhist Sinhalese Siva social Somaskanda sorcery south Indian specific sponsor Sri Lanka Sri Lankan Tamil stress Suniyam Tamil Saivite Tamil Saivite temple Taniyavala temple complex temple festivals temple priests temple’s theme trance varam Visnu worship yantra