Rajeshwari Ghose
Research Fellow
Centre of Asian Studies
University of Hong Kong
E/ tgrg@hotmail.com
Parochial Communities in Tamilnadu:
A Study of the Process of Appropriation or Subversion of Tamilness
This paper will study the rise of two communities
within the larger fold of Tamil Hindu Traditions. One community, that of
the Madhyanna Brahmanas survived for well over a thousand years, despite
its temporary ostracisation by the orthodox Tamil Brahmins. It finally
faded away by the 1980s and today remains only in the historical
memories of scholars. The last veteran to fight on their behalf died in
the early 1980s. The other community that of the Sri Vidya practioners
is a living community with a large following amongst both the Brahmins
and non-Brahmins of Tamilnadu, albeit with different slants in practices
between communities.
This paper will investigate the origin of these two communities, the
myths that surround their origins and explore the processes of
“conceptualization, appropriation and subversion “ that accounted for
the fading away of one community and the active life of the other. In so
doing it will examine the relationship between a dominant culture and
the so-called subaltern culture and note the mechanisms of survival. In
the process of enquiry it will also discuss the traditional manner of
institutionalizing protest by incorporation into a ritual honours
system. It will discuss specific forms of institutionalizing such as the
yanaierumperumparaiyan in the context of the Tiruvarur temple.
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Dr. Ghose has taught in Universities in several countries and retired as
Associate. Professor from the University of Hong Kong in 2000. She has
written and edited with contributed chapters to several books including,
Tyagaraja Cult in Tamilnadu: A Study in Conflict and Accommodation,
Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1996, In the Footsteps of the Buddha: An
Iconic Journey from India to China (Ed), HKU, 1998, Magische
Gotterwelten: Worke aus Dem Museum fur Indische Kunst Berlin, with
Yaldiz, et al, SMPK, Berlin, 2000, In Quest of a Secular Symbol:
Ayodhya and After (Ed), Perth, Curtin University, 1996, Design
and Development in South and South East Asia (Ed), Hong Kong:,
University of Hong Kong, 1990, Protest Movements in South and South
East Asia, (Ed), Hong Kong: University of Hong Kong, 1986. Her
current research interests are Religion and Society in Tamilnadu in the
Pre-Modern Period and Buddhist Art and Religion Along the Silk Road.