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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... important perspective. Some might think that the plural worship offers a way out of the country's ethnic conflict, but unfortunately this hope is generated within a framework conditioned by ideas of ethnic boundaries that are not ...
... important contribution to Sri Lanka's peace and reconciliation, if only to suggest that the significance of the Munnesvaram temples is tied to the intensity of conflict and the levels of human suffering. Plan of the Book The plan of the ...
... important here is the ritual for the goddess, for, according to the priests, it is through the presence of sakti that Munnesvaram has its special power for alleviation. Sakti and the goddesses constitute divinity in the world, and part ...
... importance of analysing power as command. In Power and Religiosity in a Post-Colonial Setting, R.L.Stirrat (1992) ... important features. The first of these is the celebrations of the 2,500-year anniversary of the Buddha's death and ...
... important before the eleventh century when coins were minted at the Munnesvaram temple (Codrington 1916). The Tamil ... importance of these port-temples as nodal points in complex social fields articulating agriculture and commerce ...
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 |