The Many Faces of Murukan

by Fred W.Clothey

This book os a study of one of the most persistent and popular gods in South India and traces the History of the God, dwelling especially on four periods : The earliest known Tamil civilization as portrayed in classical Tamil Literature and archaeology; As one of the most popular dieties in Tamil India today, Murukan is a perticularly apt portrait of how a contemporary people in Asia find identity and meaning through traditional symbols. The people of different walks of life have percieved him in varying, yet consistent, ways even into the present moment, makes the cultus of Murukan a fasciniting example of man`s persisting quest for meaning and fulfillment.