Community and Worldvie among Paraiyars of South India 'Lived' Religion [Hardcover]

This volume presents a detailed ethnographic study of rural Paraiyar communities in South India, focusing on their religions and cultural identity. Formerly known as Dalits, or Untouchables, these are a largely socially marginalised group living within a dynamic and complex social matrix dominated by the caste system and its social and religious implications in India.
Through examining Paraiyar Christian communities, the author provides a comprehensive understanding of Paraiyar religious worldviews within the dominant Hindu religious worldview. In contrast to existing research, this volume places the Paraiyars within their wider social context, ascribed and achieved identity, religious symbolism and ritual and negotiation of social boundaries.
In arguing that the Paraiyars help us to understand religion as 'lived', the author removes the concept 'religion' from the reified forms it so often obtains in textbooks. Instead, Jeremiah demonstrates that it is only in local and specific contexts, as opposed to essentialised notions, that 'religion' either makes any sense or that theories concerning it can be tested.

Preface \ Acknowledgements \ 1. Introducing the Dalit Context \ 2. Caste in Contemporary South Indian Churches and its Historical Roots \ 3. Identity and Community among Paraiyars \ 4. Yesusami and the Less Visible World: The Worldview of Paraiyar Christians \ 5. Reproducing Social Hierarchies: Power and Community \ 6. Social Efficacy: Religious Symbols, Performance
and Subverting Local Customs \ 7. Lived Religion \ Notes \ Bibliography \ Index

Demonstrates the inadequacy of the category 'religion' by focusing on the Paraiyars of South India, exploring the complexity of religious belief in marginalized indigenous communities.

Anderson H M Jeremiah is Lecturer in World Christianity, Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion at Lancaster University, UK.