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Book Review
Magic and religion
MANTHRAVADAVUM MATHAVUM: C. R. Kerala Varma; Kerala Sahitya Akademi, Thrissur. Rs. 40.
THE BOOK provides a fascinating account of the evolution of magic and religion. It traces the beliefs of many ancient communities in magical rites of various kinds to achieve common or personal ends. Eventually the magician became the king. Later religion evolved, and separate spiritual and temporal leaders emerged.
It was The Golden Bough by Sir James George Frazer that inspired Kerala Varma to write this book. Although Frazer never set foot on the Indian soil, he gathered plenty of material on India from the writings of British officials who had served in India. The author has drawn liberally from Frazer's work and supplemented the material with data of his own.
B. R. P. BHASKAR
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