Mangaluru: Angered by the state government's decision to ban the “made snana” ritual, which sees devotees rolling on plantain leaves carrying leftovers of meals at temples, in its Anti- Superstition Bill, the coastal tribal community of Malekudiya has threatened to keep away from the annual Champa Shasti celebration in Kukke this year. The Malekudiya tribals play an important role in the annual festival, which will be held this year on November 24 at Kukke Subrahmanya. Prominent community leader, Bhaskar Bendodi, has written to the Muzrai Minister warning it will not participate in the festival should the government ban madey snana in the new legislation it plans to bring in soon.
"Madey snana is a tradition which must continue. We strongly oppose the government’s decision to ban it," Rajya Adivasi Budakattu Hitharakshana Vedike president, Bhaskar Bendodi told the Deccan Chronicle. Recalling that the state high court had given a “historical order” in support of madey snana on December 24, 2014, he said it had since then been only stayed by the Supreme Court. “How can the state government ban the practice when the case is still pending before the court?" he demanded, adding, “If the government does not allow madey snana we will stay away from all the rituals of the temples, building the chariot and the Pancha Parva celebration (at Kukke).”
Pointing out that only the Malekudiya community had the legal right to build the chariot and participate in the Pancha Parva celebration,he warned that its decision to stay away could put the government in a fix. The state government’s move to ban made snana is the latest in the battle to put an end to the practice, which has for long been criticized by progressive thinkers.
