The Becoming-Work of Worship: Ritual Possession and Labor in Kerala

In the southern Indian state of Kerala, velichappatus (ritual possession specialists) have been attempting to redefine their ritual activities as work to secure fair compensation from the State-administered temple governing boards. In 2008, velichappatus from across the state formed a trade union-like collective I will refer to as the Bhagavathy Komaram Sangham (BKS) to demand healthcare benefits and pensions from the state government.  In the last few years, the mandate of this collective has expanded to include socio-cultural and legal activities undertaken to uphold the Goddess’s sovereignty and authority. In this paper, I trace the story of Kamala, a founding member of the BKS and examines what serving the Goddess means to ritual actors like the velichappatu. In attempting to translate worship as a form of work, what ethical aspirations are velichappatus trying to articulate, and what kinds of ethical communities are they creating?