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Dancing the Goddess: Possession and Class in Tamil South India

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2008

Karin Kapadia
Karin Kapadia
Affiliation:
London School of Economics and Political Science
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Extract

Religion in India has always been profoundly politicized, which is why it has remained of enduring importance, instead of ‘withering away’ as in the West. Though its presence is somewhat hidden in parties that profess a secular view, it is of vital importance, at the local village level, as a focus for the organization of political factions. More precisely, even if local political parties in Tamilnadu do not organize around religion, they use religion and ritual events for their political purposes, in their struggles to dominate local politics. The fact that this politicization of religious ritual is implicit, not explicit, only testifies to the fact that power-relationships—and struggles—exist in all aspects of life (as Foucault often noted), including apparently ‘innocent’ rites such as religious possession.

Type
Articles
Information
Modern Asian Studies , Volume 30 , Issue 2 , May 1996 , pp. 423 - 445
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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