Opinion | Sabarimala protests expose worrying trends about Kerala

Hindu devotees take part in a motorcycle rally as part of a protest against the lifting of ban by Supreme Court that allowed entry of women of menstruating age to the Sabarimala temple, at Nilakkal (Image - Reuters)

Viju Cherian

On November 16, the Sree Dharma Sastha Temple at Sabarimala, popularly known as the Sabarimala temple, near Pamba in Pathanamthitta in Kerala, will open for a two-month long pilgrimage, the Mandala Makkaravillakku. Unlike the many decades that have passed where the pilgrimage has been mostly peaceful, this time there is tension and anger in the air. To ensure that no untoward incidents occur, the district administration has imposed Section 144 in places around the temple.

On September 28, in a 4:1 judgment the Supreme Court ruled that the ban on the entry of women between the age of 10 and 50 is unconstitutional and goes against the rights of Hindu women. Sections of devotees have objected to the verdict and have been protesting since then. Hindu religious groups, such as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), etc., have fanned devotees’ sentiments arguing that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala in trying to enforce the SC order is hurting the rights and traditions of the Hindu religion.

Irrespective of the developments hereon, the Sabarimala protests are a watershed moment in Kerala’s political and religious history. Politically, it has given the BJP a “golden opportunity” in Kerala to re-enact a role it has been perfecting in the rest of India — the role of the custodian of Hindu faith. For a party that was clueless of how to break the Kerala jinx until recently, this will help it make inroads into the state. The irony is that it is happening under the watch of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)  which never misses a chance to boast that it is the only political force that “can stop BJP’s growth in Kerala”.

From a religious point of view, the Sabarimala protests have changed what was essentially a rights-based issue into a fight for one’s faith. The protests have transformed what till now was a relatively peaceful pilgrimage into a frightening ‘security issue’. ‘Swami Sharanam’, the call by the devotees as they embark on the pilgrimage, has morphed from a chant into a slogan. In this process it has brought to the forefront a masculine and aggressive religiosity that is often associated with the Hindutva brand not prevalent in South India (except in Karnataka).

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Viju Cherian

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The two aspects that the protests highlight are: one, the nonchalant attitude and unapologetic stand political parties take on communal lines to further their limited interests; and, two, how deeply misogynistic is Kerala.

This first aspect highlights the unholy nexus between religion and politics. Kerala is not alien to communal politics. For decades now, Christian and Muslim groups have openly held sway over mainstream political parties, such as the Congress, the Left parties and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). It’s been a symbiotic relationship benefitting both sides. This is true of even Hindu groups in the state, such as the Nair Service Society (NSS) and the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP), though to a lesser degree.

Kerala is also not alien to violence involving religious groups, the clashes between the RSS and Left groups in north Kerala are an example. Due to a number of factors these clashes have been largely treated as manifestations viewed through a political prism, as a clash between two cadre-based groups.

However, in the Sabarimala protests, the Pinarayi Vijayan government, in favouring the entry of women of all age groups into the temple, is seen as hurting Hindu faith and pride. It is perceived as the battle between the atheist and the believer, where the atheist is insensitive towards religious faith and traditions. This is an unfamiliar terrain for the Left. Perhaps the Congress and the BJP realised much earlier that this was a slippery slope and decided to oppose the SC verdict. While the BJP’s politics is on expected lines, the Congress’ opportunism is sickening.

The aggressive religiosity mentioned above neatly fits into the second aspect — a deeply misogynistic Kerala. The chauvinistic, alpha man still gets to decide for the ‘impure’ woman. The bogey of tradition — when there have been numerous accounts of women between the age of 10 and 50 visiting and praying at Sabarimala — is used to justify this prejudice.

It’s unfortunate that violence and intimidation is used to oppose the Supreme Court’s decision. It’s farcical that democratic institutions are seeking the views of an erstwhile royal family in such a debate. It’s regrettable that political parties are fishing in troubled waters. It’s absurd that in 2018 menstruating women are considered ‘impure’.

Kerala takes pride in its high levels of literacy and political awareness, and high standards of living and healthcare. Sadly, these high indices are of no use when hypocrisy is in abundance and the faculty of reason is wanting.

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