Routledge - The Transformation of Tamil Religion Book

Explore the religious evolution of the Tamil country through this scholarly study of Ramalinga Swamigal (1823-1874). Part of the Routledge South Asian Religion Series, this book examines how the ideology of a 19th-century reformer changed the landscape of Tamil faith. Readers will follow the transition of Ramalinga Swamigal from his origins as an exemplary poet-saint within the Tamil Saivite bhakti tradition to his later identity as a Dravidian nationalist social reformer. By analyzing his original writings and his posthumous reception, the text provides a clear look at the hagiographical and biographical processes that shaped his legacy. This work is an essential resource for those studying South Asian religious history, social reform movements, and the shifting identities within Tamil culture.