INDIA, July 28, 2016 (The News Minute): Frustrated by their exclusion from a festival of the Deity Bhadra Kaliamman in the Mahasakhthi Amman temple, 250 Dalit families living in the Pazhangkallimedu and Nagapalli villages in Nagapattinam district recently threatened to convert to Islam. Although caste Hindu authorities have subsequently agreed to allow them a day to celebrate their Deity, the Dalit families still seem apprehensive about how far the agreement will hold.
The main demand of the Dalits is to perform Mandagapadi, that is, to lead the rituals on one day in the five-day annual temple festival. “Bhadra Kaliamman is our Deity, whom we have been worshipping from generations. But now, we are not left with any other way than to convert to Islam,” said Senthil Kumar, district Union Secretary of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK).
For these Dalits, the refusal to recognize their right to worship devalues their contribution towards the temple. “We built the temple in 2009 and it is government-aided. Then why should we not be allowed to celebrate the temple festival for one day?” asked Vetrivel, President of the temple trust in the village.