Kerala temple tantris refuse to perform poojas after OBC community member appointed as 'Kazhakam'

Thiruvananthapuram: In a caste based discrimination at the famed Sree Koodalmanikyam temple in Kerala, the temple tantris from the upper caste community refused to perform poojas for several days after a person from the Hindu-Ezhava OBC community was appointed to the 'Kazhakam' (garland making and associated works) post of the temple.

Succumbing to the pressure from the tantris, the Koodalmanikyam Devaswaom authorities temporarily posted the employee for office work and posted another worker from an upper caste community as the 'Kazhakam. '

However, as the matter became controversial, the devaswom authorities maintained that the employee from the OBC community will be posted back as 'Kazhakam' and disciplinary action will be taken against the tantris who keep off from performing poojas.

Incidentally, the discrimination is taking place at a time when Kerala is celebrating the centenary of the Vaikom Satyagraha of 1924 to 1925, that was against the prohibition on OBC and backward communities in using the roads around the Vaikom Mahadeva Temple in Kottayam district.

Thiruvananthapuram native Balu B A was appointed by the Kerala Devaswom Recruitment Board (KDRB) as 'Kazhakam' at the Koodalmanikyam temple situated at Irinjalakuda in Thrissur district.

So far members from the upper caste communities like varrier are appointed by the temple authorities as 'Kazhakam'. All such appointments in temples under the devaswom boards are now being taken over by the KDRB that was formed in 2015.

After Balu joined on February 24, members of the six tantri families associated with the temple kept off from performing poojas at the temple. The devaswom issued a letter to the tantris on March 6 seeking the reason, especially since the installation day rituals of the temple are on Sunday (March 9). The tantri subsequently informed that they won't turn up until the wrongdoing that happened in the temple was corrected.

We were forced to shift Balu temporarily from the 'Kazhakam' post and given the charge of 'Kazhakam' to a member from the Pisharody community as the installation day rituals of the temple shouldn't be affected. But we will revoke the decision. If the tantris keep off from poojas, actions will be taken against them," devaswom board member K G Ajaykumar told DH.

Govindan Namboodirippad, who is the representative of the tantric family in the devaswom board, was not available for comments on the matter.

KDRB chairman K B Mohandas also said that as per norms, the tantris did not have any authority to object to the recruitment.