A few kilometers away from Chennai airport, Dalits face caste discrimination in Pozhichalur temple
The Pozhichalur Pereri Amman temple which was recently taken over by the HR&CE department.
| Photo Credit: B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM
A conflict that would shock those who believe that caste is no longer practised these days, has come to the fore at Pereri Amman temple on Dr. Ambedkar Salai in Pozhichalur, situated just a few kilometres away from Chennai International Airport.
Only July 20, the members of the Adi Dravidar community asserted their right to have the revered female deity of Pereri Amman temple taken through their streets against the tradition of the procession only going through the streets populated by other caste Hindus.
The same day the issue blew up when the caste Hindus on one side stood firm that the procession should be taken only through their streets (in Bajanai Koil Street and Pillaiyar Koil Street around the temple) while the Adi Dravidars , who supposedly live in over 7 streets in the area, demanded that the idol enter at least two of their streets since the temple is now under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department.
When The Hindu visited the temple, the caste Hindu community members argued that it had not been the tradition to take the deity to other Adi Dravidar locality. A person, who was present at the temple, said, “How can we suddenly take Amman to those streets (Adi Dravidar)? The temple officials also understood our side of the argument. Hence, the procession took place as usual, but there was a lot of resistance from Adi Dravidar side.”
With Adi Dravidar community representatives not in a mood to budge from their stand, the District Collector on July 21 had organised a ‘peace committee’ meeting after Kannan, Babu and Ravi representing the Adi Dravidar community, submitted a formal petition at Sankar Nagar police station, seeking that the deity be taken inside their streets as well. Three points were agreed to at the end of meeting attended by Assistant Commissioner, Pallavaram; Police Inspector, Sankar Nagar Police station; Pammal, Deputy Commissioner, HR and CE; Panachayat preisdent, Pozhichalur; temple trustee of Arulmigu Ranganathaswamy Kovil, Thiruneermalai, and Executive Officer, Agastheeswarar Kovil, Pozhichalur.
First, it was decided that the procession this year would be held as per tradition with the support of both the sides. Second, the two groups must participate in discussions to decide within a month on how the temple festival and processions should be held in future in the presence of the Collector heading the discussions along with the police, revenue department, HR and CE department officials. Lastly, they reiterated that HR and CE department has not appointed any ‘hereditary trustee’ for the temple and that anyone claiming to be one would face action. However, a person named Kumaraswamy Shanmugavel, a caste Hindu, has been claiming that he is the hereditary trustee. He could not be reached for a comment.
One of the officials, who was present in the meeting, said that some local youth took Mr. Shanmugavel into confidence and restarted the Aadi festival celebrations of the temple.
“The youth were under the control of the Mr. Shanmugavel. But, since there are legal disputes over whether he is the hereditary trustee of the temple, we didn’t want to give him a way back into the organisation of the temple activities through these well-meaning youth,” said the official, adding, “So, I urged the ward councillor to conduct the festivities along with the Adi Dravidar community. But he didn’t respond.”
The official further claimed, “The ward councillor didn’t want to do it and said that the deity should not be taken to Adi Dravidar streets. This was taken up as an issue by an AIADMK functionary who mobilised the people. Adi Dravidars decide to petition the HR and CE department to form a committee to organise the festival. One representative asked me why Adi Dravidars shouldn’t be included and I asked them to petition the HR and CE.”
The official further said that it was decided to hold the procession as per the tradition since the Adi Dravidar community gave the petition at short notice. While the locals said that ward councillor Suresh, who was firm in not allowing procession through the Adi Dravidar localilty, was a PMK functionary, the PMK party sources said that he had left the party already.
Kannan, who is the local functionary of the VCK, said, “The local Adi Dravidar community has been seeking the right for many years. But this time, we decided to assert our rights. I have heard from my elders that the deity would previously be stationed outside the temple and people used to come here to pray. But, over time, I don’t know when exactly it happened, the deity began to be taken on a procession only through their streets.”
With Adi Dravidar community determined to assert themselves in the issue, it remains to be seen whether the State government, which claims to uphold the Dravidian model, will resolve this issue quickly.
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