Tamil religions Religion in ancient Tamil country

1 tamil religions

1.1 tamil religion
1.2 veriyattam
1.3 nadukkal
1.4 theyyam

tamil religions

tamil religions denotes religious traditions , practices of tamil-speaking people. tamils native modern state of india known tamil nadu , northern , eastern part of sri lanka. tamils lives outside native boundaries due migration such malaysia, singapore, south africa, australia, great britain, united states, canada, réunion, mauritius , in other countries in europe. many emigrant tamils retain elements of cultural, linguistic, , religious tradition predates christian era.

early tamil religion

a neolithic cattle-herding culture existed in south india several millennia prior christian era. first century, relatively well-developed civilization had emerged. described in detail in tamil texts such tholkappiyam (third bce) , sankam poets—an academy of poets wrote in first 2 centuries of common era.

ancient tamil grammatical works tholkappiyam, ten anthologies pathuppāṭṭu, 8 anthologies eṭṭuttokai sheds light on religion of ancient tamil people. murugan glorified as, red god seated on blue peacock, ever young , resplendent, favored god of tamils. shiva seen supreme god. iconography of murugan , shiva , association native flora , fauna goes indus valley civilization. sangam landscape classified 5 categories, thinais, based on mood, season , land. tolkappiyam, mentions each of these thinai had associated deity such murugan in kurinji-the hills, thirumal in mullai-the forests, durga in pālai-the deserts, indra in marutham-the plains , varuna in neithal-the coasts , seas. other gods mentioned krishna , balaram assimilated sangam religion on time. dravidian influence on vedic religion evident, many of these features present in oldest known indo-aryan language, language of rigveda (c. 1500 bce), includes on dozen words borrowed dravidian languages. represents religious , cultural fusion or synthesis between ancient tamils , indo-aryans, became more evident on time sacred iconography, flora , fauna went on influence hinduism, buddhism , jainism

the cult of mother goddess treated indication of society venerated femininity. mother goddess conceived virgin, 1 has given birth , one. temples of sangam days, of madurai, seem have had priestesses deity, appear predominantly goddess. in sangam literature, there elaborate description of rites performed kurava priestess in shrine palamutircholai.

veriyattam

veriyattam refers spirit possession of women, took part in priestly functions. under influence of god, women sang , danced, read dim past, predicted future, diagnosed diseases. twenty 2 poets of sangam age in many 40 poems portray veriyatal. velan reporter , prophet endowed supernatural powers. veriyatal had been performed men women.

nadukkal

among tamils practice of erecting hero stone (nadukkal) had appeared, , continued quite long time after sangam age, down 11th century. customary people sought victory in war worship these hero stones bless them victory.

theyyam

theyyam ritual shaman dance popular in kerala , parts of tamil nadu , karnataka. theyyam migrates artist has assumed spirit , belief god or goddess comes in midst of fathering through medium of possessed dancer. dancer throws rice on audience , distributes turmeric powder symbols of blessing. theyyam incorporates dance, mime , music , enshrines rudiments of ancient tribal cultures attached great importance worship of heroes , spirits of ancestors, socio-religious ceremony. there on 400 theyyams performed, spectacular ones of raktha chamundi, kari chamundi, muchilottu bhagavathi, wayanadu kulaven, gulikan , pottan. these performed in front of shrines, sans stage or curtains.

the character of tamil religion celebrative. embodied aura of sacral immanence, sensing sacred in vegetation, fertility, , color of land. summum bonum of religious experience expressed in terms of possession god, or ecstasy. milieu there immigrated sobering influence—a growing number of jain , buddhist communities , increasing influx of brahmans , other northerners.

the layout of villages can assumed standard across villages. amman (mother goddess) @ centre of villages while male guardian deity (tamil: காவல் கடவுள், kāval kaṭavuḷ ) has shrine @ village borders. nowadays, amman can either worshipped alone or part of vedic pantheon.