Innovation

Abstract

Ritual practice in the Adhiparasakthi mandram generally follows that of the mother temple in India, but there are important differences. The ritual practice in the two settings differs in that they are performed on behalf of two distinct societies separated by geographical, cultural and regional-linguistic boundaries. Both communities are innovative in their own right and have addressed the social and religious challenges of their respective societies in specific ways. Innovation within the Canadian Adhiparasakthi community represents not a rupture with tradition, but a means for affirming and expressing what is significant in the local context as well. Establishing a tradition in this sense signifies not only recognizing what people have done in the past, but also determining what choices are affirmed in the present.