ச. தரமன நவலகளல வழபடம நமபகககளம / Worship and Beliefs in the Novels of Cho. Dharman

The development of spiritual practices reveals a profound interconnection between nature, fear and the progress of worship traditions. It was initially rooted in nature worship. The early human societies attributed natural disasters to divine vengeance for disobedience, fostering rituals to pacify the apparent forces. This sort of practice provided psychological comfort and hope to the ancient men, and they gradually formalised into structured belief systems and exist as worship methods. As societies evolved, idol worship emerged from the acknowledgement of supernatural power in objects. Ancestor worship gained prominence and reflects the veneration for the forefathers to get protection. Memorial practices, such as the erection of stones for fallen warriors, also transitioned into deity worship. The creation of minor deities has been categorised into clan, village and household gods. It marked the diversity of spiritual practices. Cho. Dharman is one of the prolific Tamil writer who bring the Tamil culture to the reading audience through his novels. There is ethnographic evidence from the works of Cho. Dharman which highlights the worship of Ayyanar Swami as a guardian deity in Urulaikudi village. It exemplifies the belief in divine protection. This study estimates how ancestor worship and the veneration of sages and the dead ones became institutionalised within the customs of the community. By examining these historical and anthropological transitions from the novel, the paper portrays the socio-cultural customs that transformed primal fears and communal memories into religious traditions.