ABSTRACT
Covering aspects such as social composition, production, regular vocations, and villagers’ relations with land and nature, Chapter 2 describes daily life in the villages in Perar. First, I elucidate the relations between Mudu Perar and Padu Perar. Second, I provide a general overview of the social composition of both villages. Finally, I describe how the land is used and the relationships that exist among land, nature, and būta worship in this area. Land in Perar is inseparable from the būtas, which are regarded as manifestations of the wild power or śakti filling the forests and fields. According to the oral epic in Perar, the boundary of Perar was determined by the royal būta called Balavāṇḍi. Management rights and duties for particular plots of land in the village were also granted by the deities to the higher-ranked guttu families in exchange for worship. Therefore, the rights of the manor houses to their land have to be confirmed and performatively executed in the būta rituals. Since the ultimate ‘owners’ of the land are thought to be the deities, the people are merely permitted use of the land and enjoyment of its products.
