Economy as a Driver Functional Continity of Living Religious Heritage : The Case of Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Sriangam

Abstract

Temples are important heritage assets to which several economies, or in simpler terms, livelihoods, are linked. They can be directly linked to the temple, or occur around the temple, while some may not be directly linked to the temple but are dependent on the temple for livelihood, while others may be linked but occur far away from the temple. In most cases, the temple is the leading economy in the area. Temples are also living that is, they have an element of continuity in terms of original use/function, community associations, cultural expressions, and care/maintenance through established or traditional means. Continuity is also maintained through the core economies directly or indirectly linked to the temple, thereby ensuring the conservation of the temple’s tangible and intangible elements. Hence, the temple is a heritage asset, capable of giving rise to a flow of goods/services that sustain itself and the core economy. On the other hand, the core economy supports/enables cultural expressions integral to the temples’ character. The study was carried out in the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam, India. The rationale behind this choice is that the temple is its historical prominence and continuity as a living heritage site. A core community exists around the temple with strong cultural connections. Apart from the resident core community, the temple is also a primary pilgrimage site and attracts many visitors from other regions. The temple is a major economy and contributes to the socio-economic development of the region.