Rituals as a Means of Mitigation and Prevention: Containing Sectarian Rivalry in Kanchipuram

Abstract

This article discusses the role of rituals in preventing and containing religious offences by looking at the annual temple festivals of two specific temples of the Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva traditions in Kanchipuram. Both festivals enact a ritual of mutual insult (ēcal in Tamil). Through my discussion of the role of religious leaders in the enactment of these rituals and the recent establishment of a new ritual in response to perceived rising tensions, I show that the ritualised insult is both a demonstration of power and an important tool for maintaining balance in the relationship between the two Hindu traditions.