Temples and Temple Patronage in Kakatiya Andhra

Bibliographic Data

ID20043728
AuthorsCynthia Talbot (0000-0001-8291-6773, corresponding author)
Year2001
Pages87-125
Publication date2001-10-25
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeCHAPTER
VenuePrecolonial India in practice (SOURCE_BOOK)
PublisherOxford University PressNew York (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1093/0195136616.003.0004
OpenAlexW2490506313
ISBN9780195136616
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited100

Stone inscriptions document religious gifts made to Hindu temples by a wide range of donors who sought not only religious benefit but also social prestige and political advancement. Temple patronage was a major stimulus to economic growth since it led to the extension of agriculture and the creation of irrigation facilities. The older temples of coastal Andhra such as Draksharama and Srisailam received the most endowments, mainly in the form of livestock, whereas the newer temples of the interior were generally given land. The patrons of these two types of temples also differed in occupational background, demonstrating that the communities constituted by temple worship varied considerably. The standard model of the Hindu temple institution as a harmonious force for social integration and economic redistribution thus needs to be modified in recognition of the competitive character of temple patronage

Agriculture · Ancient history · Archaeology · Geography · Hinduism · Political science · Politics · Prestige · Temple · Worship · Anthropological Studies and Insights · History · Indian and Buddhist Studies · Law · Religious studies · Southeast Asian Sociopolitical Studies

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