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 iv
... Relations--Buddhism. 3. Buddhism--Relations--Hinduism. 4. Sri Lanka--Religious Life and customs. I. Title BL1243.78.S72 D66 2002 294.5'35'095493--dc21 2002074582 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for ...
... Relations--Buddhism. 3. Buddhism--Relations--Hinduism. 4. Sri Lanka--Religious Life and customs. I. Title BL1243.78.S72 D66 2002 294.5'35'095493--dc21 2002074582 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for ...
Page xix
... relation maniyan ( Sinh . ) – plural form of maniyo maniyo ( Sinh . ) – ' mother ' , a female trance specialist and particularly a devotee of the goddess Bhadrakali mantra ( Skt . ) – ritual syllabic utterance ( linked to both ' measure ...
... relation maniyan ( Sinh . ) – plural form of maniyo maniyo ( Sinh . ) – ' mother ' , a female trance specialist and particularly a devotee of the goddess Bhadrakali mantra ( Skt . ) – ritual syllabic utterance ( linked to both ' measure ...
Page 2
... relation between the temple and its world in order to explore the interactive dynamism of a complex South Asian society and its techniques and expressions of social and cultural articulation. My focus is the temple complex of ...
... relation between the temple and its world in order to explore the interactive dynamism of a complex South Asian society and its techniques and expressions of social and cultural articulation. My focus is the temple complex of ...
Page 3
... relations , but is central to the reproduction of religious power in the forceful aesthetic of ritual . I am interested in what is ' dramatic ' or critical about Munnesvaram as an aspect of the temples ' popularity . The thesis I pursue ...
... relations , but is central to the reproduction of religious power in the forceful aesthetic of ritual . I am interested in what is ' dramatic ' or critical about Munnesvaram as an aspect of the temples ' popularity . The thesis I pursue ...
Page 6
... relationship between the tem- ple and the Brahmin priests who effectively own the temple . It underpins the legal status of the temple and also that of its priests , and thus has a profound bearing on what kind of temple the Munnesvaram ...
... relationship between the tem- ple and the Brahmin priests who effectively own the temple . It underpins the legal status of the temple and also that of its priests , and thus has a profound bearing on what kind of temple the Munnesvaram ...
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 |
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