After temple entry, Dalits here live in fear
R. Ilangovan
No entry:Dalits are not allowed to enter again in the Sri Chidambareshwarar Temple at East Rajapalayam village in Gengavalli block, Salem district.
SALEM: For the Dalits in East Rajapalayam, Gengavalli block, in Salem district, their recent entry into the ancient Sri Chidambareshwarar Temple in the village, as expected, has not broken the fetters of discrimination. Instead it has brought in woes and fears in abundance.
All these years, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments-controlled temple and its sub temples in the village have remained out of the reach for the 250 families of Dalits.
When the majority caste Hindus, some 1,500 families, had refused to allow them to participate at its ‘Maha kumbaabhisekam' function held on August 22 this year, they raised a banner of revolt.
On September 3, when the women and children went to the temple to offer prayers, they were denied entry and curtly told to perform poojas outside the temple. “Till then, we have not realised the intensity of the hatred of untouchability against us in the village,” said N. Kannusamy (65), a Dalit, who recalled the good old days when he, as a 10-year-old boy, used to play village sports with others in front of the sprawling temple complex.
But the denial spurred the village Dalits to regroup. A few among them including teachers and a few VCK functionaries took up the issue to the notice of the district administration.
A complaint was preferred at Veeraganur Police Station. They submitted a petition to the Office of HR and CE at Salem on September 15.
Senior revenue and police officials convened a peace meeting at Attur on October 1 and after much coercion forced the caste Hindus to concede to the Dalits' demand to enter temple.
“We entered the temple on October 3, which happened to be our dooms' day. Since then we undergo untold sufferings and face intimidation,” said a Dalit youth working in a school in a near-by village.
Today, they are all forced to keep away from the vicinity of the temple, which commands many acres of fertile lands in which cotton and maize are being grown.
“The temple property is being enjoyed by the caste Hindus and we can never participate in its auction,” alleges another.
They told The Hindu that caste Hindus had ostracised even two of their youths for attending a funeral on Adi Dravidar Street recently. “The temple has a Dalit as a member on its trustee board. But he is voiceless,” they claimed.
The Dalits are now living in morbid fear for having entered the temple in the presence of officials and against the wishes of locals.
The Veeraganur police in a letter dated October 25 have alerted the Gengavalli Tahsildhar about a possible law and order issue in the village. The Dalits have sought police protection, which is yet to be given.
No comments:
Post a Comment