N S Madhavan tells RSS to seek edakka ban

Thiruvananthapuram: Writer N.S. Madhavan  has joined  issue with  the RSS activists  who have demanded  action  against online shoe distributors Myntra for selling cow leather shoes and hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus.

In a sharp  retort to their Twitter campaign, he asked them to seek a ban on the  Kerala temple percussion instrument Idakka whose skin is made from cow’s intestine.

The Sangh Parivar supporters had come down heavily on Myntra as its advertisement claimed that its  products were made of cow skin.

The skin of Idakka, which was known as ‘ulloori’ or ‘chavvu,’  is made from the outer wall of the cow's intestine after it is cleaned and purified by members of a community named ‘chakliar.’

Idakka,  however, is considered as a divine instrument, and is presented at Sopanam, the holy steps leading to the sanctum sanctorum of  temples, during pooja sessions. 

Madhavan,   a known critic of the Sangh Parivar  ideology, is an acclaimed short  story writer  in Malayalam. His  ‘Thiruth’ is  highly critical of the Sangha Parivar  and chronicles the events that took place in the news room of a daily  on the day of the  Babri Masjid demolition.

He has backed the cause of authors like M.M. Kulburgi, Narendra Dalbhokar and Govind Pansare allegedly killed by rightwing forces and  those who returned their awards or resigned from various posts of Sahitya Akademi.   
 

Download the all new Deccan Chronicle app for Android and iOS to stay up-to-date with latest headlines and news stories in politics, entertainment, sports, technology, business and much more from India and around the world.