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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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 this book is available from the British Library.
Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Ritual Practices and Religious Identity Pilgrimage and a ... Sorcery and Protection at the Munnesvaram Temple Sinhala Buddhism and Its Radical Temporality Popular Religion as a Practice ...
This book is concerned with how religious meaning and potency acquire their force in the production and reproduction of everyday worship. I examine the relation between the temple and its world in order to explore the interactive ...
lence, was raised repeatedly by this apparent unity of religious purpose at a single temple complex. I stress this apparent sense, however, for while at one moment the fluidity of social and religious categories appears to be asserted ...
Their participation in such worship is a feature of what has been labelled for a different but closely related religious context in Sri Lanka as 'bhakti religiosity' (Obeyesekere 1978), or as evidence of 'Hinduizing trends' in ...
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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 |