The boy was chosen to carry the idol of the Rain God
Dalit boy Sasi performs the fire walk to mark the end of the rituals to appease rain gods.
Krishnagiri: In a sociological surprise, drought has demolished caste barriers and turned a Dalit into a demigod in the backward hamlets of Krishnagiri district in western Tamil Nadu. With rains playing truant and crops withering in the fields, the desperate people of Shoolagiri and six neighbouring villages in Krishnagiri district, flung aside their caste differences and conducted a fire walk ritual to please the rain Gods.
However, what came as a huge surprise was that a Dalit boy, who was till now barred from entering the sanctum sanctorum of the village temples, was worshipped as a demigod and chosen to carry the idol of the Rain God (Mazhai Rayappa samy).
Untouchability continues to be practised in the villages of Shoolagiri, Kamanayakanpettai, Krishnapuram, Bogipuram, Alakupavi, Chinna Kamanayakanpettai and Beerapalayam in Krishnagiri. But the monsoon failure and the drought prompted the villagers belonging to the upper caste and Dalit community to unite and conduct a village festival to invoke the Rain God.
“It is a traditional custom performed during the drought season. It was held this year because farmers are in trouble because of lack of rains and their crops need to be saved” K. Mathappa, 55, of Kamanayakanpettai, near Shoolagiri, on Chennai-Bengaluru national highway here, told DC.The festival began last Saturday with a Puja to identify a person who is eligible for carrying Mazhai Raya Samy (Rain god) idol made of clay. During the festival, a woman in trance chose 18-year-old Dalit boy R.Sasi, of Keeltheru as a Godsend to carry the idol across the villages.
The dalit boy, who till now could not enter the temple, was allowed to stay inside the sanctum sanctorum of the village temple. He conducted the daily puja for the local deity.
Every day, the clay idol of rain god was taken in procession across the villages. Sasi carried the idol on his head accompanied by the people of all castes. They chanted prayer in a loud voice as “mazhai Tharuvaai……Mazhai Raya (Oh rain god give us shower)”.
Village women forgetting untouchability took him to their houses in a belief that God has transposed into his body. They also offered millets to Sasi and took his blessings.
For a week, the Dalit boy was venerated as a demigod thanks to the drought. Now, the villagers are gazing skywards, awaiting the much-needed showers.
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