Potentiality for Social integration through cult of goddess pattini among the Tamil Hindus and Sinhala Buddhist – a study

Abstract

Social integration is becoming prime concerned of the academics for building up social cohesion among the multi ethnic communities in Sri Lanka in the post war arena. all the Communities Were living with the cordial relation form ancient time through their similar religious, cultural practices in Sri Lanka. Integration of Tamil Hindus and Sinhala Buddhist Has broken due to The ethnic crisis. That’s why the Social integration has to be reiterated in the after the civil unrest over. Despite the Sinhala Buddhist and Tamil Hindus have been divided as two major ethnic groups, their marginal cultic practices bridge them as one community. Especially the cult of pattini is bonding them together. Religious doctrine and practices are influencing on the day today life of the public in Sri Lanka. Pattinic cult is identified as common practices among both pattern, in the pattini worship in the east cost of Sri Lanka and other part. This research has intended to examined the potentiality through identifying the similarities of ideology, rituals, cultic practices of pattini worship through employing the data from the related literatures, participant observation, interview. Eventually the research found that the pattini worship in both communities have number of similarities. That theoretical basis of the religious doctrines and practices provide the way to the Social integration. The research suggests that the similarities should be cultivated to the public and make them aware and participate into the pattini worship. If do so the possibilities for integration and social cohesion would be effective.