The Impact of the Pallavas and New Artistic Theories in Tamil Worship Traditions

தமிழரின் வழிபாட்டு மரபில் பல்லவர்கள் ஏற்படுத்திய தாக்கமும் புதிய கலைக் கோட்பாடும்

Abstract

Worshipping trees, terracotta figurines, and hero stones erected in memory of soldiers who died or those who sacrificed their lives for the community have been prominent in Tamil worship traditions. The impact made by the Pallavas in these worship practices is significant. According to Sangam literature, the stone memorial was closely connected with funeral rites among Tamils. How the medium of stone—originally used only for funerary customs—was transformed into an object of worship is a subject worth researching. The use of stone evolved to be associated with sculpture and also became a means to publicly celebrate valor. The shift from hero-stone worship as an element solely linked to death rituals to a broader religious function marks an important change in a society’s worship traditions.