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Archival description
GB 891 CF-CF/1 · Series · 1976-2009
Part of Papers of Christopher Fuller

This series contains printed programmes issued by the administration of Minakshi-Sundareshwara Temple, other temples and other Hindu organsiations for their festivals, rituals and events, as well as several lists compiled or collected by Christopher Fuller regarding the same.

Genealogical charts
GB 891 CF-CF/2-CF/2/1 · File · 1978-1985
Part of Papers of Christopher Fuller

This file contains two genealogical charts drawn up by Christopher Fuller in 1978 and 1995 respectively, showing the Minakshi temple priests' patrilineal clans and their consanguineal and affinal links. The charts contain references of the serial numbers of priests recorded in the 1994 and 1980 service registers (see CF/2/2). Stored together is further typed notes on the charts supplied by Fuller.

GB 891 CF-CF/1-CF/1/3 · File · 1976-2002
Part of Papers of Christopher Fuller

This file contains lists relating to the administration and worship of the Minakshi-Sundareshwara temple, with further typed notes on the lists supplied by Christopher Fuller. These include:

  • printout of information concerning the daily puja (worship) schedule and the price list for private worship and offerings, from the temple's website, dated 17 April 2002. In English.
  • a handwritten copy of the price list for private worship and offerings displayed on a noticeboard above the ticket office inside the temple in 1976-77, dated 20 August 1976, in Tamil with English translation.
  • a handwritten list of 41 endowments (kattalai) showing which of them provided materials for each period (kala) of the daily worship (puja), in Tamil with a transliteration.
  • another typed list of 79 endowments issued by the temple administration in 1994, which only partly corresponds with the previous one. In Tamil with a transliteration.
  • a typed list of temple festivals, issued by the temple administration in 1994. In Tamil.
Papers of Christopher Fuller
GB 891 CF · Fonds · 1976-2009

The papers contain administrative and research materials relating to Hindu temples and priests, compiled or collected by Christopher Fuller during his research trips to Madurai and more widely in Tamil Nadu from the 1970s to the 1990s. There is also a small amount of published articles relating to the same.

Christopher John Fuller
GB 891 CF-CF/1-CF/1/2 · File · 1977-1997
Part of Papers of Christopher Fuller

This file contains printed festival and ritual programmes issued by the temple administrations (devasthanam) of Hindu temples and other organisations, including:

Hindu temples

  • Kudal Alagar temple, Madurai, for Renovation ritual (mahasamprokshanam), 1-5 April 1995
  • Kudal Alagar temple, Madurai, for Navaratri, September-October 1978, including list of recitals
  • Kallalagar temple, Alagarkoil, for Renovation ritual (mahasamprokshanam), 12-16 July 1995
  • Aiyappan temple, Madurai, for Renovation ritual (mahakumbhabhishekam), 16-19 January 1995
  • Aiyanar temple, Tiruvallur, Sivaganga District, for Renovation ritual (mahakumbhabhishekam), 1-5 February 1995
  • Nellaiyappar temple, Tirunelveli, for Ani Peruntinuvila festival, 21-30 June 1977, with pamphlet about the temple
  • Subrahmanya temple, Tirupparankundram, for Tai Teppam, January-February 1977
  • Subrahmanya temple, Tirupparankundram, for Panguni Peruvila, March-April 1977
  • Chellattamman temple, Madurai, for their annual festival, January-February 1977

Other organisations

  • Madurai Ayira Vaisya Manjaputtar Mahajan Sabha, Madurai, for Devipuja festival, March 1977
  • Tirupparankundram Agamic school (pathashala), for their Saraswati puja programme, October 1994
  • Indian Institute of Indology, Chennai, for their inauguration ceremony and Agama conference, 25 January 1995. In English
  • Ramanatha temple, Rameshwaram, information sheet. In English
GB 891 CF-CF/1-CF/1/1 · File · 1977-2009
Part of Papers of Christopher Fuller

This file contains printed festival and ritual programmes issued by the temple administration (devasthanam) of the Minashi-Sundareshwara Temple in the form of a poster or a booklet. These usually give the date, time and order of festival processions and events:

  • Cittirai Peruvila (April-May 1977, 1978, 1982, 1984, 1992, 1995)
  • Ani Uncal (June-July 1977)
  • Ati Mulaikkottu (July-August 1976, 1977, 1980)
  • Avani Mula (August-September 1976, 1977, 1980, 1991)
  • Maha Rudrabhishekam (September 1976, 1977)
  • Navaratri (September-October 1976)
  • Navaratri booklets listing Navaratri recitals (1976, 1977)
  • Tiruvempavai (December-January, 1976-77)
  • Ennai Kappu (1977)
  • Tai Teppa (January-February 1977, 1978, 1995, 1997)
  • Mahakumbhabhishekam, also known as the Renovation ritual, July 1995, with a list of oblation items to be donated by devotees, and printouts of several reports on the 2009 ritual published in The Hindu
  • Calendar of all festivals in 1977-78, with some content transliterated into English
GB 891 CF-CF/4 · File · 1977
Part of Papers of Christopher Fuller

This file contains published articles written by Christopher Fuller on the Minakshi-Sundareshwara Temple and its priests, including:

  • Typed manuscript of 'Royal Divinity and Human Kingship in the Festivals of a South Indian Temple', published in South Asian Social Scientist, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1985 (Note: the donor deposited the manuscript version as he has noted that the published version contains editorial errors).
  • 'The Navaratri festival in Madurai', by C. J. Fuller and Penny Logan, published in Bulletin of SOAS, Vol. XLVIII, Part 1, 1985.
  • 'The King, the law and the priests in a South Indian Temple', published in Puruṣārtha No. 8, 1985.
  • 'Brahman Temple Priests and Hindu Revivalism in Contemporary Tamilnadu', published in South Indian Studies No. 1, 1996.
  • 'Orality, Literacy and Memorization: Priestly Education in Contemporary South India', published in Modern Asian Studies Vol. 35, No. 1, 2001.
  • 'The renovation ritual in a south Indian temple: the 1995 kumbhabhiseka in the Minaksi Temple, Madurai', published in Bulletin of SOAS, Vol. 67, No. 1, 2004.
Service registers
GB 891 CF-CF/2-CF/2/2 · File · 1980-1998
Part of Papers of Christopher Fuller

This file contains register sheets recording service of the priests at Minakshi-Sundareshwara Temple, covering the years of 1980, 1988, 1991, 1994 and 1998.

These printed registers, issued by the temple administration, list the names of priests, with columns to record their private worship earnings. These columns have been left blank but Fuller has made notes to the name of each priest to indicate if they have retired or died, and give genealogical information (see CF/2/1). Stored together is further typed notes on the registers supplied by Fuller.

GB 891 CF-CF/3 · File · 1984
Part of Papers of Christopher Fuller

This file contains the transcripts of two welcome addresses delivered to Christopher Fuller on the occasion of him presenting his book Servants of the Goodness to the Minakshi Temple Priests' Association on 17 April 1984, including:

  • a typed version in English, entitled 'Welcome Address to Dr. Mr. Chris Fuller of London', signed by C. Muthu Bhattar, President of the Minakshi Temple Priests' Association.
  • a handwritten version in Tamil, with English translation at the back.