Multiple meanings in South Indian temple worship

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

The survival of the cosmos is said to depend upon proper performance of the complex daily liturgy in large Hindu temples. This paper describes such daily worship in the Murukan temple at Kalugumalai, South India. After considering the significance of the principal stages — unction, decoration, food-offering, and lamp-showing — in the pūja rite which forms the basis of worship in Saivite temples, it seeks to understand this liturgy with reference to Hindu metaphysics, iconography and mythology, and notions of divine sovereignty. It is argued that such multithematic analyses, which combine ethnographic and indological approaches, are essential for understanding contemporary Hindu practice
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)239-260
JournalCulture and Religion
Volume2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2001

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • South India
  • Tamil Nadu
  • Hinduism
  • temples
  • Murukan
  • worship
  • cosmology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Multiple meanings in South Indian temple worship'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this