Secularisation in Hindu temples: The implication for caste

Abstract

This paper explores some important recent changes in the social organisation of a major Hindu temple in Tamil Nadu. It throws new light on the beginnings of the secularisation of its organisation and on the expansion of secular space within the temple. The inclusion of hitherto excluded groups in the social organisation of the temple indicates a significant broadening of its social base, which now comprises a wider range of castes and denominations than before. This universalisation is accompanied by a weakening of beliefs and practices relating to purity and pollution. Also, the intrusion of a bureaucratic administration into the affairs of the temple has given a new place to ideas of secular rationality in the religious activities of the temple. The process of secularisation is further strengthened by the fact that the priestly Adisaiva community is opting for secular education and employment in place of its traditional way of life.