Aestheticized temples, rationalized affects: sacred modernities and the micro-regulation of Hinduism in Singapore

ABSTRACT

This paper develops the idea of “sacred modernities” to explore how the state-led regulation of religion shapes religious communities and religious subjects therein. Sacred modernities define the ways in which sacredness is understood and engaged with under conditions of secular modernity, and in particular, how sacredness is experienced within a context of micro-regulated religious space. We illustrate these ideas through an empirical examination of how Singapore’s Hindu community engages with the idea of sacredness in and through the temple. By contrasting the experiences of Singaporean and non-Singaporean Hindus, we argue that Singapore’s temples offer an aestheticized experience of the sacred that is rational in its affects. Differential expectations and experiences of the sacred can reveal divisions within the Hindu community along Singaporean/migrant lines.

KEYWORDS:

• Sacred modernities
• micro-regulation
• religious subjects
• Hinduism
• Singapore

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Meena Siddharthan and Shee Siew Ying for fieldwork assistance.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability

Data available on request from the authors.

Notes

1 These are the Sri Mariamman Temple, Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, Sri Sivan Temple and Sri Vairavimada Kaliamman Temple.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Education - Singapore [grant number MOE2018-T2-2-102], “New Religious Pluralisms in Singapore: Migration, Integration and Difference”.

Notes on contributors

Orlando Woods

Orlando Woods is Associate Professor of Humanities and Lee Kong Chian Fellow at Singapore Management University.

Lily Kong

Lily Kong is Lee Kong Chian Chair Professor of Social Sciences at Singapore Management University, where she is also President.