Religion in Tamil Nadu consists of various religions practiced by the populace of the state.Hinduism is the predominant religion in the state with significantChristian andMuslim minorities. As a home to a multitude of religions, the Tamil culture reflects the influence of the same. Various places of worship are spread across the state.
As per theSangam literature, theSangam landscape (300 BCE to 300 CE) was classified into five categories known asthinais, which were associated with aHindu deity:Murugan inkurinji (hills),Thirumal inmullai (forests),Indiran inmarutham (plains),Varunan in theneithal (coasts), andKotravai inpalai (desert).[4] Thirumal is indicated as a deity during theSangam era who was regarded asParamporul ("the supreme one") and also known as Māyavan, Māmiyon, Netiyōn, and Māl in various Sangam literature.[5][6] WhileShiva-worship existed in the Shaivite culture as a part of theTamil pantheon,Murugan became regarded as theTamil kadavul ("God of the Tamils").[7][8][9] In the 7th century CE, thePandyas andPallavas, supporters ofBuddhism andJainism, transitioned to become patrons of Hinduism. This shift occurred with the revival ofSaivism andVaishnavism during theBhakti movement spearheaded by theAlwars andNayanmars.[10][11] Hinduism developed in the temples andmathas of medieval Tamil Nadu with self-conscious rejection of Jain practices.[12]
In Tamil tradition, Murugan is the youngest son of Shiva andParvati;Pillayar is regarded as the eldest son and venerated as theMudanmudar kadavul ("foremost god").[13] The worship ofAmman, also calledMariamman, is thought to have been derived from an ancientmother goddess, and is also very common.[14][15] In rural areas, local deities, calledAiyyan̲ār (also known as Karuppan, Karrupasami), are worshipped who are thought to protect the villages from harm.[14][16]
As of the 21st century, majority of the population of Tamil Nadu are adherents of Hinduism with more than 89% of the population adhering to the same.[17][1] As a majority religion, the influence of Hinduism is seen widely in theTamil culture includingliterature,music anddance. Most visual arts are religious in some form and usually centers on Hinduism, although the religious element might be a vehicle to represent universal and, occasionally,humanist themes.[18] Visual art ranges from stone sculptures in temples, to detailedbronze icons andfrescoes andmurals on temple walls.[19][20]
Majority of the available literature from the Sangam period was Hindu and categorized in the tenth century CE into two categories based roughly on chronology as thepatiṉeṇmēlkaṇakku ("the eighteen greater text series") comprisingEttuthogai (orEttuttokai, "Eight Anthologies") and thePattuppāṭṭu ("Ten Idylls").[21] The Tamil literature that followed in the next 300 years after the Sangam period is generally called the "post-Sangam" literature.[22][23]Tirukkural is a book on ethics, byThiruvalluvar.[24] Prominent works includeRamavataram, written in 12th century CE byKambar andTiruppugal byArunagirinathar in 14th century CE.[25][26]
Apart from traditional instruments from the Sangam period,Nadaswaram, areed instrument that is often accompanied by thethavil, a type ofdrum instrument are the major musical instruments used in temples and weddings.[27] The traditional music of Tamil Nadu is known asCarnatic music, which includes rhythmic and structured music dedicated to Gods.[28][29][30]Bharatanatyam is a major genre ofIndian classical dance that originated in Tamilakam and is represented to invokeNataraja, a form of Shiva.[31][32] There are manyfolk dance forms that originated and are practiced in the region which are done in veneration to Hindu gods and goddesses such asKavadiattam,[33][34]Mayilattam,[35][36] Bhagavatha nadanam, Devarattam, Kai silambattam, Kuravanji and Urumiattam.[37]Koothu is a form of street theater that consists of a play performance which consists of dance along with music, narration and singing, usually dedicated to goddesses such asMariamman with stories drawn from Hindu epics such asRamayana andMahabharata, mythology and folklore.[38][39] The dance is accompanied by music played from traditional instruments and akattiyakaran narrates the story during the performance.[40]
Dravidian architecture is the distinct style of rock architecture from the state, where thekoils considered of porches orMantapas preceding the door leading to the sanctum, Gate-pyramids orGopurams in quadrangular enclosures that surround the temple,Pillared halls and a tank called theKalyani orPushkarni.[49][50] TheGopuram is a monumental tower, usually ornate at the entrance of the temple forms a prominent feature of theHindu temples of the Dravidian style.[51] There are a number ofrock-cut cave-temples established by the ancient Tamil kings and later by Pandyas and Pallavas.[52] TheGroup of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, built by the Pallavas in the 7th and 8th centuries has more than forty rock-cut temples and monoliths including one of the largest open-airrock reliefs in the world.[53][54]
There are more than 34,000 temples in Tamil Nadu built across various periods some of which are several centuries old.[55] Most temples follow the Dravidian architecture, a distinct style of rock architecture.[56] 84 of the 108Divya Desams, which are Vishnu andLakshmi temples that is mentioned in theworks of the Alvars are located in Tamil Nadu.[57]Paadal Petra Sthalam are 276 Shaivite temples that are revered in the verses of Nayanars in the 6th-9th century CE.[58]Pancha Bhuta Sthalam refers to temples dedicated toShiva, each representing a manifestation of the five prime elements of nature.[59]Arupadaiveedu are six temples which are dedicated Murugan.[60]Madurai also called as "Temple city" consists of many temples including the massiveMeenakshi Amman Temple withKanchipuram, considered as one of theseven great holy cities being another major temple town with many temples dating back to the Pallava period.[61][62]SrirangamRanganathaswamy Temple is the largest temple complex in India and the biggest functioning Hindu temple in the world with a 236 feet (72 m) tallRajagopuram, one of the tallest in the world.[63]
TheChristian apostle,St. Thomas, is believed to have landed in theMalabar Coast in 52 CE and builtSt. Mary's Church inThiruvithamcode,Kanyakumari district in 63 AD and preached in the area around present dayChennai till 70 CE.[70] TheSanthome Church, which was originally built by thePortuguese in 1523, is believed to house the remains of St. Thomas and was rebuilt in 1893 inneo-Gothic style.[71] In 1578, the Portuguese published a book in old Tamil script named 'Thambiraan Vanakkam', the first book in any Indian language to be printed and published.[72] The Europeans started to establishing trade centers from the 16th century CE along the eastern coast of the state, and the region was under the rule ofBritish Raj from the 18th century to the mid 20th century.[73][74][75] This also brought Christian missionaries, who establishedchurches and introduced the religion to various parts of the state.[76]
As per the 2011 census,Christianity is the second largest religion in the state with the total number of Christians numbering 4,418,331, forming 6.12% of the total population of the state.[1] There is a larger proportion of Christians in the southern districts,Kanyakumari (46%),Thoothukudi (16.7%) andTirunelveli (10.6%).[77][78] The 16th-centuryBasilica of Our Lady of Good Health is located atVelankanni, about 12 km (7.5 mi) south of Nagapattinam on the Eastern coast. The town declared as a holy city by thepope is known as the 'Lourdes of the East'.[79]
Islam was introduced due to the influence from theArab region and the majority of the muslims are native Tamils who converted on the influence ofCheraman Perumal.[80] Unlike from other parts of India, nearly 90% of the muslims in the state speak Tamil rather thanUrdu as their mother tongue.[81][82]Arabic inscriptions from the ninth century CE atKayalpatnam, detail about endowments given to the mosques by Pandyas.[83] The earliest literary work in the community was thePalsanthmalai from the 13th century with the most popular being the epicSeerapuranam byUmaru Pulavar in the 17th century[84][85]
As of 2011[update],Islam is the third largest religion in the state with 4,229,479 followers, making up 5.86% of the population.[1] TheKilakarai Jumma Masjid, built in the 7th century CE, has prominent Dravidian architectural characteristics and is one of the oldest mosques in India.[86]Erwadi houses an 840-year-oldmosque and the annualsanthanakoodu festival held during the Islamic month ofDhul Qidah attracts people of all faiths from different regions.[87]Nagore Dargah where the urs festival is celebrated every year and attracts pilgrims from bothsufi Islam and Hinduism.[88]
Tamil Jains existed from the sangam era with inscriptions and drip-ledges from first century BC to sixth century AD and temple monuments likely built byDigambara Jains in the ninth century found inChitharal and severalTamil-Brahmi inscriptions, stone beds and sculptures from more than 2,200 years ago found inSamanar hills.[89][90] They were known asCamaṇar in Tamil and theSangam literature ofSilappatikaram,Nālaṭiyār andCīvaka Cintāmaṇi were attributed to Jain authors.[91] The early Jains were part of the Digambara sect and use the titleNainar.[92][93] TheKalabhra dynasty, who ruled over theancient Tamil country in the 3rd–7th century CE were patrons of Jainism.[94][95] Some of the early kings of the Cheras, Pandyas and Pallavas patronized Jainism.[96][11]
Buddhism was influential in Tamil Nadu before the later middle ages with the early Pandyas and Pallavas patronizing Buddhism.[96][103] There is a mention of a Buddhist pilgrimage route fromCeylon toBodh Gaya viaKaveripattinam in ancient Tamilakam with ruins of a 4th century Buddhist monastery, a Buddha statue and a Buddhapada (footprint of the Buddha) found in the region.[104][105]Nākappaṭṭinam is found in the Burmese historical text of the 3rd century BCE, mentioning aVihāra from the period ofAshoka.[106] Various scholarly works in Tamil andPali, dating back to the 5th-7th century CE have been attributed to Tamil Buddhist scholars, with the most well-known being the epic-poemManimekalai byChithalai Chathanar.[107][108] Buddhism saw some revival from the late 9th century CE and theChudamani Vihara in Nagapattinam was built by theSrivijaya kingMaravijayottunggavarman under the patronage ofRaja Raja Chola I in early 11th century CE with various Buddha bronze statues dated between 11th and 16th century CE being found in the region.[106] As per the 2011 census, 11,186 people identified as followers of Buddhism, which was 0.02% of the total population of Tamil Nadu.[1]
As of 2011[update],Sikhs numbered 14,601 (0.02%) in the total population of Tamil Nadu.[1] Majority of the Sikhs are people who migrated to Tamil Nadu for agricultural and business purposes.[109] Sikhs have settled in most major cities and have established variousGurudwaras and educational institutions in the state.[110]
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