"Soundwalks in Shiva temple": A situated approach to perceived ambiance
Résumé
Apart from the use of musical and sound technologies, the devout’s perceptions of ambiance are still a blind spot in analyses of places of worship, despite the fact that temples are reputed to have an ‘atmosphere’. This chapter addresses the devout’s ordinary perception inside a temple. It is based on the experiment "Soundwalks in Shiva Temple", using a well-known qualitative methodology in urban ambiance studies that has rarely been applied to places of worship. It presents the methodology’s principles as applied to places of worship and quotes the accounts collected as a result. The ensuing analysis emphasizes the phenomena of transformation and immersion that the place induces in people passing through it. The author proposes the analytical terms transonorisation, multisensorial presence, and amenity to specify the pragmatic modalities found in places of worship. Published with audio documents online : Short link: https://frama.link/WSSLong link: https://archives.crem-cnrs.fr/archives/collections/CNRSMH_E_2018_003_001