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 6-10 of 39
... century. The pre-festival events in the village form the basis of the broader festival and reveal themes that the festival unfolds. Then I move to the festival proper, and in Chapters 9 and 10 offer a description of the festival events ...
... century when coins were minted at the Munnesvaram temple (Codrington 1916). The Tamil name for Chilaw, Salabamapura stems from 'salabam' ('Pearl Fishery'). However, in Sinhala, salabam takes the meaning of anklet. Of the pearling, the ...
... century from Negombo (Stirrat 1974, 1988) which, with Mannar, appears to have been a sixteenth century entry point from India for different fishing castes who subsequently settled right along the west coast. These Tamil-speaking groups ...
... century BCE (according to popular Sinhalese historiography). The fortified town, restored by government archaeologists from the late nineteenth century onwards, is more contemporary, dating from the medieval period when the town would ...
... century. The last and most famous of these was Prince Taniyavala Bahu whose fame stemmed from a victory over Kadiyarana ('the Muslim pirate') who attempted to take over Chilaw in the late fifteenth century (Rajavaliya 1954: 62). Some ...
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 |