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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... deity navagraha (Skt.) – nine planets navagraha sånti (Skt.) – appeasing the nine planets navagraha mürtinjaya sånti puja (Skt.) – name of a special rite for the nine planets and their associated deities nåyanmar (Skt.) – the 63 Saints ...
... deities such as Nandi, the Bull, for Siva, the lion for Ambal, etc. valampuri (Tm.) – special conch with clockwise turn varam, varama (Sinh.) – warrant or boon granted by a deity to a devotee, usually associated with soothsaying and ...
... deity shrines, relic shrines and resident monks vimåna (Skt.) – the tower above the temple inner sanctum vimarsa (Skt ... deities to space ya†apila (Sinh.) – lower team in Pattini games yoni (Skt.) – complement of the linga, the vagina ...
... deity is taken to the River Dedura north of Chilaw and plunged under the waters amidst wild splashing and bathing by assembled worshippers. The statues of the deities are brought to the river in a procession from the temple and housed ...
... deities inside the octagonal (lotus) pavilion. Without being typical, trance behaviour is a key component of ... deity priest who normally ran a small shrine to the Sinhala Buddhist sorcery deity Suniyam.9 He described how he used this ...
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 |