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 2
Thus, while orientations to Munnesvaram and its significance vary widely, they all share the sense that Munnesvaram is a temple complex of great importance. The two principal temples – the Munnesvaram temple and the Bhadrakali temple ...
Thus, while orientations to Munnesvaram and its significance vary widely, they all share the sense that Munnesvaram is a temple complex of great importance. The two principal temples – the Munnesvaram temple and the Bhadrakali temple ...
Page 3
I stress this apparent sense, however, for while at one moment the fluidity of social and religious categories appears to be asserted by a unity of purpose in temple worship at Munnesvaram, in the next moment the temples display the ...
I stress this apparent sense, however, for while at one moment the fluidity of social and religious categories appears to be asserted by a unity of purpose in temple worship at Munnesvaram, in the next moment the temples display the ...
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... which I shall term more specifically as 'potency' or 'potentiality' (from the common Latin root, potens) in order to indicate that my study examines power in a very broad sense and not simply in the more limited sense of 'command', ...
... which I shall term more specifically as 'potency' or 'potentiality' (from the common Latin root, potens) in order to indicate that my study examines power in a very broad sense and not simply in the more limited sense of 'command', ...
Page 8
My primary aim is to convey a sense of the uniqueness of Munnesvaram – a Tamil Saivite temple with a predominantly Sinhala Buddhist patronage in a period of ethnic violence between Tamils and Sinhalese. I am also concerned to show how ...
My primary aim is to convey a sense of the uniqueness of Munnesvaram – a Tamil Saivite temple with a predominantly Sinhala Buddhist patronage in a period of ethnic violence between Tamils and Sinhalese. I am also concerned to show how ...
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No one of these aspects is any more 'sacred' than the rest, although it must be noted that within the broad religious field of the Munnesvaram temples there exists a sense that some practices have greater legitimacy than other practices ...
No one of these aspects is any more 'sacred' than the rest, although it must be noted that within the broad religious field of the Munnesvaram temples there exists a sense that some practices have greater legitimacy than other practices ...
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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 |