Devasom minister rues untouchability'

Thiruvananthapuram: Devasom minister Kadakampally Surendran has termed as “illegal” the order of the Devaswom commissioner to deny the post of ‘keezhshanthi’ in Chettikulangara temple to S. Sudhikumar, a non-brahmin. “It is a shame that a social monstrosity like untouchability that was eradicated from Kerala is sought to be brought back in the guise of temple customs,” the minister said in the Assembly on Wednesday. He was replying to a submission moved by Kayamkulam MLA U. Pratibha Hari. Deccan Chronicle had been consistently taking up Sudhikumar’s cause ever since the temple administrative committee, Sreedevi Vilasam Hindumatha Convention, had passed a resolution against his appointment.

The Supreme Court had in 2012 stated that caste considerations should be kept aside while recruiting employees, including ‘pujaris’, to various posts in devaswom boards. “On the basis of this, the state government had issued directions to all devaswom boards to carry out their recruitment process without discrimination on the basis of caste,” Mr Surendran said. 

“The Thiruvithamcore Devaswom Board decision to nullify the Mavelikkara assistant devaswom commissioner’s order appointing Sudhikumar as ‘keezhshanthi’ (assistant priest) in Chettikulangara temple is a blatant violation of the Supreme Court order,” he added.

‘Tantri’s stand curious’  

The devaswom commissioner quashed the order after the temple tantri took the stand that the rituals in Chettikulangra temple should be carried out by Malayali Brahmins versed in ‘shodasha samkara’ and that if such traditions were undermined it would invite the wrath of the deity. The temple administrative committee, Sreedevi Vilasam Hindumatha Convention, further said that Sudhikumar was not skilled in Jeevatha dance, a ritual dance peculiar to the Onattukara region. In fact, Sudhikumar had learnt Jeevatha dance, and Deccan Chronicle had earlier reported that two existing 'keezhshanthis' were not proficient in Jeevitha dance.

The devaswom minister, too, said that the tantri’s stand was curious as a Tulu Brahmin, R Devarajan Potti, had once been the ‘melshanthi’ of the temple. The tantri’s complaints were intimated to the Chettikulangara Devaswom Administrative Committee officer in a letter. Sreedevi Vilasam Hindumatha Convention then passed a resolution opposing the appointment of an 'ezhava' to 
the post of 'keezhshanthi'.

The Mavelikkara assistant devaswom commissioner had issued the posting order on June 14, and Sudhikumar was asked to join on July 1. Besides Sudhikumar, five more priests, all of them Brahmins, were transferred, and all of them had assumed charge smoothy. 

However, Sudhikumar was not allowed to begin duties following the strident stand taken by the Hindumatha Convention.