Kerala: Temple stonewalls non-Brahmin priest

ALAPPUZHA: The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has kept in abeyance the transfer of S. Sudhikumar, a non-Brahmin santhi, to famous Chettikulangara Devi Temple due to stiff resistance from a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-backed group. He got the order transferring him from Puthiyidam Sree Krishna Swamy Temple, Kayamkulam, on June 14 and was to join here by July 1, but had to continue there. The 36-year-old disciple of Puthumana Mahadevan Namboothiri alleges the pressure of Sree Devi Vilasam Hindu Matha Convention behind it. “I would wait for a final order this month. If TDB shifts me somewhere else without reason, I will approach the court,” he told this newspaper. It was his second experience after he joined TDB 12 years back.

The first was in 2006 when he was appointed at Puthoorpally Temple, Aluva. A group of Hindus did not allow him to enter the temple, till the SNDP Yogam intervened. “They shouldn’t be so intolerant since I was appointed as an assistant priest whose job is only helping the main priest,” he says. The executive committee of the Sree Devi Vilasam Hindu Matha Convention on June 30 passed a resolution against the non-Brahmin priest S. Sudhikumar and submitted it to Devaswom commissioner C.P. Ramaraja Prema Prasad. Though this newspaper made repeated attempts, he did not respond. Convention member K. Dileepkumar said the decision was backed by all 38 members and was minuted.

“After Kannamangalam South Kara revolted, others put enormous pressure on Sukumaran, its secretary, to support,” he told this newspaper. It was the same Convention that held Chooral Muriyal ritual banned by Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KeSCPCR) at Kumbha Bharani festival here in March this year, while a review petition is still under the consideration of High Court. The Nair Service Society (NSS) and the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP), had sharply differed over the issue of appointing non-brahmins as temple priests in 2006. In a resolution adopted by the delegates’ meet at its headquarters at Perunna, NSS wanted TDB to give up its plans to appoint non-brahmins.

“Though every Hindu had a right to hold any post in the TDB, priestly duties could not be carried out by them. Such moves would only result in creating divisions within the Hindu community,” it had said. Later, unfazed by NSS resolution, the TDB filled up 50 out of the 100 priest posts with non-brahmins having an elementary knowledge of tantra-shastra, Sanskrit and a certificate from a Board-approved tantri. TDB president Prayar Gopalakrishnan said the issue had not reached the Board yet. “If the priest has any complaint, he can approach the Board. Then it will be discussed,” he said. Convention president Rajeev said that it was a matter of rituals that the temple followed. “If TDB takes a final decision, then we will think of the next. As far as Chettikulangara temple is concerned, the tantri is the last word,” he said.