by Michael Wood
kolam
an auspicious pattern of rice powder laid out in front of the door each morning
kun kum
red powder worn on the forehead in worship of the goddess
lathi
a wooden baton used by the Indian police
linga
a sign or token; as the phallus, the symbol and aniconic image of Siva
lungi
the simplest form of loincloth, the poor man’s dhoti
mandapa
hall in a temple
muth, mutt
monastery for Hindu renouncers
nageswaram (or nadeswaram)
the long reedy trumpet used in Tamil temple music
Navarati
the religious festival in September/October; in Madurai, the festival of the goddess Minakshi
neem
a sacred tree whose bitter bark, fruit, leaves and seeds have various attested medical uses
oduvar
professional singers of hymns from the Tevaram (q.v.) at Siva temples in south India
paddy
strictly, rice in the husk; generally, growing rice. (Our word ‘rice’ comes from the Tamil arisi, husked rice.)
pan
a digestive concoction made of betel nut, lime paste and tobacco
Panchang
the south Indian religious almanac
Pillai
another name for the Vellala, the agricultural caste in Tamil Nadu
pipal
the poplar-like Indian fig tree, Ficus religiosa, often found in the heart of a village or in temple grounds
prasad
literally, grace; offerings (usually edible) given to the deity and returned, touched with divine grace, to the devotee
puja
the act of worship
raga
a scale in Indian music
sadhu (or saddhu)
holy man
Saiva
pertaining to Siva; worshipper of Siva
sambhar
vegetable curry eaten with dosas or iddly
Sangam/ sangam
the classical period of Tamil literature; the academy
sthapathi
craftsman or maker; here, the bronze caster
tantric
pertaining to the sexual theories of some Saiva sects (see appendix, Indian Gods and Goddesses, p. 242)
Tevaram
the hymnbook of the three great Tamil Saiva saints, Appar, Sambandar and Sundarar, who lived between AD 570 and AD 730
tilak
forehead mark
tirtha
literally, crossing place; hence any holy site
ulema
Islamic religious authorities
vadai
savoury doughnuts
Vellala
the old agricultural caste of Tamil Nadu
vilva
a type of tree which is sacred to Siva
vimana
the pyramidal central shrine in Tamil temples
