Life Ethics and Psychosomatic Healing Reflected in the Folk Rituals of Eastern Sri Lankan Tamils - Centred on Rituals and Songs

கிழக்கிலங்கைத் தமிழர் கிராமியச் சடங்குகள் உணர்த்தும் வாழ்வியல் நெறிகளும் உடலுளச்சிகிச்சையும் - சடங்குகளையும் பாடல்களையும் மையப்படுத்தியது

Abstract

The long stretch of land situated along the eastern coast of the island of Sri Lanka, bordering the ocean, constitutes the great cultural land known as Batticaloa. With the sea on one side and the Batticaloa Lagoon — a tidal lake — running across the land, this entire region is blessed with beauty and coolness. The livelihoods of the people living here depend largely on marine resources, the lagoon, and agriculture. Likewise, one can observe that their way of life and worship practices are also fundamentally shaped by these very elements. The people of this region hold deep faith in folk ritual worship that falls outside the Agamic tradition. There are numerous male and female deities worshipped by them. It is noteworthy that these ritual practices are rich in dance, song, and sacred chants. The uniqueness of these songs lies in the fact that their content narrates the histories of the deities and temples, while also conveying the way of life of the people, the ethical principles governing their lives, and providing physical and psychological healing. In this study, the life ethics and psychological healing conveyed through their rituals in their daily lives have been examined on the basis of these songs.