A Tale of Two Cities

This book is an expansive outline of history which, at the same time, is also a very comprehensive history of the Sri Vaishnava community of Tamil Nadu, India. It spans a period of 1000 years - from the 11th century CE to the present day. It is The historical narrative is woven around a "tale of two cities" i.e. Sri Rangam and Kanchipuram, the two towns in South India from where a titanic struggle for ownership, power, legitimacy and control over not only temples but also for the very self-identity of the Sri Vaishnava identity was waged for over seven centuries by two major sects, the Tenkalais and Vadakalais. The struggle continues to this day, having been dragged deeply into and getting increasingly embroiled in the larger issues and dynamics of the Tamil State socio-politics viz. language, ethnology, demography and culture. The "tale of two cities" is a historical narrative about grievous loss of religious legacy, debility of cultural identity and decline of economic prosperity arising from social alienation... This book is an absorbing tale of human frailties.... of ambition, greed, deceit, envy, malice and betrayal.