Material Devotion in a South Indian Poetic WorldMaterial Devotion in a South Indian Poetic World

The poets of Hindu devotion are known for the passion and intimacy with which they seek and celebrate their deities. While verses over a thousand years old are still treasured, translated, and performed by contemporary devotees and scholars alike, little attention has been paid to the evocative sensorial worlds contained within and referenced by these literary compositions. Material Devotion in a South Indian Poetic World contributes new methods for the study and interpretation of material religion as it occurs within and through literary landscapes.
The poetry of Tamil South India invites travel across real and imagined geography, naming royal patrons, ancient temple towns, and natural landscapes. Leah Elizabeth Comeau locates the materiality of devotion to Shiva in a world unique to the South Indian vernacular and yet captivating to audiences across time, place, and tradition.