| ID | 180263 |
| Title Proper | Gift of a temple |
| Other Title Information | socio-economic and cultural changes around diasporic engagement in Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Hollenbach, Pia ; Thurairajah, Tanuja ; Subramaniam, Jeevasuthan |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | Jaffna District, Sri Lanka, has faced enormous socio-economic difficulties since the civil war ended in May 2009. But in contrast to the visible and apparent infrastructural destruction that characterises much of the District, there is a striking number of newly built Hindu temples. The majority of these new temple constructions are linked to diasporic engagement, philanthropy and giving. Through a Maussian lens, this article provides insights into how the gift of a temple enables people in the diaspora to give something back to local socio-cultural structures, in order to reposition them in relation to their places of origin. However, the Maussian ‘gift’ not only serves the giver; it also impacts on the receiver. The article therefore asks: How does the receiver use these temples? What impact do the temples have on the socio-economic and cultural environment? How are they commodified? Three in-depth case studies will help to provide answers to these questions and to better understand the long-term impact of the gift of temples in post-war Jaffna. |
| `In' analytical Note | Contemporary South Asia Vol. 29, No.2; Jun 2021: p.123-146 |
| Journal Source | Contemporary South Asia Vol: 29 No 2 |
| Key Words | Temple ; Gift ; Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora ; Jaffna Peninsula |