Bhakti Movement and Religious Integration in Early Cola Period
By M. N. Rajesh
Summary
The early Cola period (850-950 A.D.) saw significant socio-economic integration through institutional forces like the Saiva temple and brahmadeya, which increasingly merged in their roles. The Colas faced challenges in restructuring production systems and organizing society under brahmanical ideology while consolidating political alliances. This led to a shift from Vedic traditions to a Tamil-centric bhakti tradition focused on Siva and Vishnu, with temples becoming central to integration. Brahmanas, including Saiva and Vaishnava groups, held diverse roles in temple administration, land management, and rituals, with titles like Kramavittan and Somayaji denoting expertise in sacrifices and land grants. Lower-caste groups like Devakanmigal and Pattudaiyar managed temple endowments and grants, though their ritual ranks remained ambiguous. The varna system theoretically structured society, but practical temple functions determined ritual hierarchy, often reinforcing caste divisions. Economic prosperity elevated groups like Kaikkolas (weavers) and Sankarappadiyar (mixed-caste oil suppliers), who gained ritual status through temple roles. Vellalas, though holding communal land, gradually adopted private ownership and military roles, with titles like Muventavelan indicating royal favor. Lower castes like Paraiyas faced marginalization, evident in separate cremation grounds and polluted settlements. The Tevaram portrays vellalas as compassionate elites, while literary and inscriptional records reveal a complex interplay of economic functions and ritual rankings shaping early Cola society.
AI-assisted summary, not yet checked. Consult the original PDF before citing.
Conclusion
The early Cola period witnessed a significant transformation in socio-religious structures, with the Saiva temple emerging as the central institution for economic and political integration, supplanting the brahmadeya. The study highlights the brahmanas' diverse roles—administrators, priests, and landholders—categorized by ritual affiliations (Saiva, Vaishnava) and economic status, while also revealing the temple's complex social hierarchy, which reinforced caste distinctions through ritual purity norms. The integration of non-brahmin groups like vellalas and artisans into temple administration reflects a pragmatic co-option strategy, elevating their ritual standing alongside economic prosperity. However, marginalized communities like the paraiyas remained excluded, their polluted status evident in segregated cremation grounds and indirect references. The analysis underscores how the Colas leveraged temple-building and bhakti ideology to legitimize power, reshape social stratification, and navigate regional alliances, ultimately embedding caste hierarchies within institutional