Upper-caste villagers take deity out after Dalits enter temple in Karnataka
The incident took place in Hanakere in Mandya district, 92 km from Bengaluru, after a group of Dalits, supported by government intervention, entered the Sri Kalabhairaveshwara Swamy temple on Sunday.
3 min read
Sharma, who was trapped inside the premises, was found lying unconsciousA village in Karnataka was divided over the entry of Dalits into a temple, leading upper-caste people to shift the village deity to another temple.
The incident took place in Hanakere in Mandya district, 92 km from Bengaluru, after a group of Dalits, supported by government intervention, entered the Sri Kalabhairaveshwara Swamy temple on Sunday.
The temple, which was rebuilt two years ago, was recently brought under the jurisdiction of the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department.
Hanakere village is home to the Adi Karnataka community, classified as a scheduled caste, and the upper-caste Vokkaligas.
According to a villager, the Dalits had informed the others that they would enter the temple for a religious event. On the night of November 9, upper-caste people spread the message that at least one person from each home should come near the temple to prevent the Dalits from entering it.
However, the Dalits did enter the temple on Sunday, with the help of police and the district administration. But some upper-caste people objected and took the deity to another temple.
While many upper-caste women gathered in front of the temple, the men brought the idol outside. They also tore down the temple’s name board, declaring, “Let them keep the temple; we will take the deity.”
As tensions escalated, the district administration held peace meetings, which ended on Monday evening. The Dalits and Vokkaligas later brought the deity inside the temple.
Gangaraju Hanakere, president of Dr BR Ambedkar Warriors who was part of the peace meetings, told indianexpress.com that both the communities have agreed to abide by the law. “Dalits were not allowed inside the temple for centuries. But this has changed and the world has evolved. One needs to accept that we are also human beings and have equal rights. However, it was only a few upper-caste men who were unhappy over Dalits entering the temple. It was solved peacefully with the help of police and district administration,” he added.
Mandya Tahasildhar Shivakumar Biradar said it was a problem created by only a few upper caste people and that it was solved.
However, Hanakere, the Dalit activist, said the upper-caste residents accepted the solution only out of fear of the law and the police, rather than on the basis of equality.
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