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
Page viii
... Rites 117 Puja as Offering 123 Sinhala Buddhist Statuary 127 The Logic of Deity Offerings in Sinhala Buddhism 129 Chapter 7 The Presence of Sakti 133 The Goddess and Her 'Mountain' 134 The Identity of Ambal and Kali 141 Chapter 8 ...
... Rites 117 Puja as Offering 123 Sinhala Buddhist Statuary 127 The Logic of Deity Offerings in Sinhala Buddhism 129 Chapter 7 The Presence of Sakti 133 The Goddess and Her 'Mountain' 134 The Identity of Ambal and Kali 141 Chapter 8 ...
Page xvi
... rites performed by Berava spe- cialists avatāra ( Skt . ) – incarnation ( of Visnu ) ayālaya ( Sinh . ) – vagrant āyudhapuja ( Skt . ) – offering of ' weapons ' ayya ( Tm . ) – honorific title , ' lord ' bali ( Skt . ) – sacrifice bali ...
... rites performed by Berava spe- cialists avatāra ( Skt . ) – incarnation ( of Visnu ) ayālaya ( Sinh . ) – vagrant āyudhapuja ( Skt . ) – offering of ' weapons ' ayya ( Tm . ) – honorific title , ' lord ' bali ( Skt . ) – sacrifice bali ...
Page xvii
... rite Demala (Sinh.) – Tamil desam kovil (Tm.) – regional temple de ̄va balaya (Sinh.) – divine power de ̄våla (Sinh.) – deity temple devasthåna (Skt.) – 'god's seat' (a temple) de ̄vatå (Sinh.) – class of minor interstitial deities with ...
... rite Demala (Sinh.) – Tamil desam kovil (Tm.) – regional temple de ̄va balaya (Sinh.) – divine power de ̄våla (Sinh.) – deity temple devasthåna (Skt.) – 'god's seat' (a temple) de ̄vatå (Sinh.) – class of minor interstitial deities with ...
Page xviii
... rites kāppu ( Tm . ) – protective thread tied around a person or deity's wrist kapumahattaya ( Sinh . ) – deity ... rite laukika ( Sinh . ) ( Pali – lokika ) – wordly , existing līlā ( Skt . ) – play , disinterested activity linga ...
... rites kāppu ( Tm . ) – protective thread tied around a person or deity's wrist kapumahattaya ( Sinh . ) – deity ... rite laukika ( Sinh . ) ( Pali – lokika ) – wordly , existing līlā ( Skt . ) – play , disinterested activity linga ...
Page xix
... rite for the nine plan- ets and their associated deities nāyanmar ( Skt . ) – the 63 Saints of Tamil Śaivism nibbāna ... rites . nūl ( Sinh . ) – protective thread tied around the wrist padmamūla ( Skt . ) – the lotus root Padu ...
... rite for the nine plan- ets and their associated deities nāyanmar ( Skt . ) – the 63 Saints of Tamil Śaivism nibbāna ... rites . nūl ( Sinh . ) – protective thread tied around the wrist padmamūla ( Skt . ) – the lotus root Padu ...
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