The Economy of Mourning

The present study aims at reaching a reconciliation of the sacred and the profane, the religious and the secular, the divine and the mundane worlds, and also a critique of authentication of the prevalent dualism in this demesne. Serving as a sequel to the present author’s works and field studies, this study tries to demonstrate the arbitrary nature of the distinction as referred to earlier. In treating the instruments employed in mourning ceremonies, sections of the study exhibit that ritual absolutism and sanctification stand in contradiction to social realities. That is to say, the sacred is not totally separated from the profane. For instance, given their religious and spiritual manifestations, mourning ceremonies are diversely connected to the everyday life. Further, the immense cash flow behind such ceremonies helps to sustain the continuity of the ritual.