Blurring Divides

Kerala makes a silent revolution by appointing Dalits and other non-Brahmins as priests in temples.

- R.Krishnakumar

NEARLY 130 years after Sree Narayana Guru challenged the injustices of the caste system in 19th century Kerala by consecrating a rock and calling it “Ezhava Siva” for worship by the backward classes who were then not even allowed to go near temples, the formal entry of Dalits as main priests in Hindu public temples has just become a reality in the State.

Keezhcherivalkadavu, a village near Thiruvalla in central Kerala, celebrated one such event on October 9 when 22-year-old Yadu Krishna, who was born into the Pulaya Dalit caste and is well versed in rituals and was properly trained in a Vedic school, took charge as the melsanthi (main priest) of the 150 year-old Manappuram Siva Temple run by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).

To the credit of the entire State, local people accorded a stirring reception to Yadu Krishna when he reached the temple along with his guru, K.K. Anirudhan Tantri of the Sree Gurudeva Vaidika Tantra Vidyapeetham at Moothakunnam near North Paravur in Ernakulam district, who himself was born into an Ezhava backward class family and achieved renown as a religious scholar and teacher.

The local people took the new melsanthi to the temple in a ceremonial procession with an ensemble of temple music and “vanchippattu”, the rhythmic songs of the traditional oarsmen of the region.

Five other Dalits and 30 other non-Brahmins have also been appointed priests along with Yadu Krishna by the Devaswom Recruitment Board (DRB), a body established by a State law on the recommendations of a Kerala High Court committee and is meant to bring in transparency in devaswom recruitments in the State.