ABSTRACT
In arijloor possession-events, men become “female” and Brahmins become “impure.” Thus, in the possession-rites, there is a change of gender for all men, though for Brahmin men, there is also a change of ritual status. With regard to gender, a far more conservative trend exists because Muthurajah men draw on a discourse that construct Muthurajah women as submissive and self-sacrificing. Both in the Sabarimalai pilgrimage group and at the grand Murugan festival, Muthurajah men predominated, as they did both in village numbers and in village politics. The permutations of gender identity and caste identity that were going on in the religious contexts indicate that contrary orientations are present in these different aspects of identity. Caste is undergoing various transformations in urban society, and society in Aruloor is strongly affected by urban mores. In the urban world, though caste identity remains important, class is steadily increasing in importance as a basis for limited social interaction and shared interests.
