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Abstract

Political rituals intertwined with sacred symbolism serve as a vital platform for legitimising authority and making power visible. This article explores the role of political rituals in the context of kingship, specifically focusing on the Kongu Nadu Pāḷaiyakkārar and Paṭṭakkārar (chieftains or ‘little kings’; Dirks, 1982, Journal of Asian Studies, 41[4], 655–683) of South India. It argues that political rituals play a critical role in revealing the unchallenged power of sacred legitimacy. While political authority and sacred legitimacy are often seen as complementary, this study argues that the relationship is asymmetrical: sacred legitimacy elevates political authority, but political authority does not confer sacred legitimacy. The sacred is inherently legitimate. By analysing the rituals that support the authority of these chieftains, this article examines how rituals have historically shaped the formation and continuity of political authority in Kongu Nadu.

Keywords

Sacred legitimacy political ritual authority Pāḷaiyakkārar and Paṭṭakkārar Kongu Nadu

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The Sacred Beyond the Political: Rituals,Authority and Kingship Among Kongu Vellala Paṭṭakkārar and Pāḷaiyakkārar (Chieftains)

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