Enter...the Dravidians

The most startling thing about the south, besides the constant rain (though it is not monsoon season) are the spectacular temple complexes, built in a southern indian or Dravidian style. This is the one that rises above the city we are currently in, Madurai.



These temples are like NOTHING we saw in the north, and like nothing I have ever seen before in my life. This may start to sound westernist (and doubly bad because I am an anthro major....), and totally naive, but I did grow up on a western education. Because all of Europe and the Americans and all the Jewish and Muslim world is monotheistic (or basically...though I have given a lot of thought to the saints of catholicism, just "secret" polythism? Ah the blasphemy I speak...) I had this idea of polytheism as gone. The great polytheistic religions of the ancient world are gone, the Egyptians, the Greecians, the Romans etc. I had this really ass backwards idea that polythism was some how pushed to the sidelines. And then I came here.

The temple complex here in Madurai is a Hindu pilgramage site. For one, it is MASSIVE, 16 acres I do believe....and there are tons and tons of people there. I forced the boys out of bed at around 6 in the morning so that we could get there before some of the crowds, and it was still busseling. Lots and lots of people in Khadis, which are the orange home spun robs that Ghandi wore, and that many pilgrams wear. In fact it is said that it was here in Madurai, in 1921, that Ghandi decided to shead his normal cloths and only wear Khadi. But I digress. This massive temple complex that was thronging with people even in the early hours of the morning was simply amazing to behold. So many alters to different gods, so many different prayers, ash on people's heads, red dye touched between their eyes, kissing the ground....there was even an elephant blessing people. Yes you read that right. This is probably the first pilgramage site I have even been too, and the whole town is centered around catering to pilgrams and helping them to fulfill their religous rights.

Amungst the massive towers covered in colorfully painted gods and goddesses (I can't wait to get bryan's pictures up, the artistry is fantastic!) and all the colorfully dressed pilgrams, it is an amazing site to see: polytheism alive and kicking!