Abstract:
The vernacular of a place is encoded in the
architecture of the built form and enriched by
the cultural practices of the people. This study
explores the history and tradition of the Britto
cult centered at the Shrine of St John de Britto
at Oriyur in the Pasumpon Muthuramalinga
Devar district of Tamilnadu, South India. The
religio-cultural context of the shrine and
festival originating from the martyrdom in
1969 of John de Brittto, today has cut across
religious affiliations and is more of a
vernacular tradition connecting the local
castes and communities. It is this mystic
aspect of the Oriyur shrine, built and
supported by traditional practices that this
study intends to explore.
