Friday, January 12, 2007
Decolonise Kerala Temples – A Call for Action
Temples are the only institutions that retain the old practice of untouchability. It is socially sanctioned and not many are willing to question the statusquo. A man born in the Brahmin caste alone is permitted inside the sanctum sanctorum. What by default means all others, including Brahmin women are lesser human beings, sub-human. This is at the root of many social ills in society like oppressive caste prejudices against the low castes. Breeding of inferiority complex in others and the born priests and their lobbies are working over time to retain and spread this fossilized untouchability. Fear of the unknown is the tool, theatrics and dress rehearsals the gimmick. For a healthy Hindu society for the future this cannot continue and the caste Brahmin priests' monopoly has to cease in all Kerala temples. Alternatives built up and this unhealthy tradition discontinued immediately. It may even be necessary for the priests themselves who are in dire straights, majority of them poverty ridden and trapped in rituals and stagnation. They may be helped to enter better vocations in life.
Priesthood trying to subjugate people is seen repeating in history and many of the great men and prophets have tried to fight this menace. In Kerala it is time this is taken up in all earnest. The recent incidents in Kerala where the `holier than thou'
Tantris were caught indulging in evil practices failed to open the eyes of the people. Most of them unfortunately have made the temples places for all kinds of extortion and it is their greed rather than anything divine that happens in most places. Also the greed of those who ally with them for the money, power and some privileges. What the present Devaswom Boards are typical examples. Where the rot in the name of god has reached the limits. The clever priests and their bosses make use of the others for their own motives and share a part of the loot. Spirituality is their last priority. Where a cleansing is badly needed.
In Kerala the native temples were almost all originally from the Tantric stream, not the Vedic Brahmin stream and were owned by the various native communities. Often the temples were in the ownership of and protection of the Nayars, warriors and nobility of Kerala in the pre-caste period in history. Nayars were a Tantric people and the high status of women etc in the old matriarchial Nayar community point to this. Later
these were taken over by the Vedic Brahmins and a new model of Tantra, what the 'Tantris' now follow, enforced. What many consider fake Tantra. The British period saw the temples taken over from the original communities and the rituals altered, sadly the priests allied with the British as history shows. Where the situation remains till date, despite freedom from British rule. The Tantric stream
did not have subjugation of women, low castes or fake brahmacharya and vegetarianism. All of which are from the Vedic model and alien to majority Kerala Hindu society. What is now paraded as authentic Hinduism.
And with the fast spread of caste Brahmin controlled Hindutwa in the recent past, and the fan following for the Brahminised god-men and god-women, the Vedic Brahmin model is trying for an alarming come back and this, despite its few good sides, is going to be damaging to the larger Hindu society. More and more temples where non-Brahmins were priests are swallowed by the Brahmins and the rituals being altered. They use a clever arrangement by linking astrologers, doing 'Devaprasnams' and assorted crafts. What creates mayhem in Hindu society as concepts of fake brahmacharya, vegetarianism etc are being freely used. What leads to nerotic behaviour in the people as denial of natural urges in ordinary people are damaging. In this in Kerala, unfortunately the Nayar community is the most affected, but ironically they are also the facilitators. Perhaps because they are the most hypnotized by the propaganda of priesthood. They get used, but are not aware of this. The divided Hindu society disintegrates.
The inhuman and prejudiced attitudes towards the Dalits and low castes have no place in the modern era, it is also highly damaging to the larger Hindu society
which is on the run in Kerala. But the fossilized priestly practices are trying to bring this back with a vengeance. The islands were the old Tantric models
survived, many old temples, are also giving in to the Vedic Brahmin models. Many Dalit owned and tribal owned places of worship are being captured by the
forces of new Hindutwa, where new Brahmin priests and rituals are enforced. Hence there is no other way except discontinuing the custom of caste Brahmin male priests, if that is not voluntarily happening, daring initiatives like ousting the Brahmin
priests from all the temples may be necessary. It will also help them themselves. Everyone who respects the beliefs and has the spiritual competence should be permitted inside sanctums. New priesthood and rituals cultivated with the guidance of those with the vision. While various communities who share common subcultures and values, what became caste later, may retain these, there should not be any hierarchy and prejudices between man and man. What is man made, neither is there a need for middlemen between man and god. What the priests claim to be.
Priesthood trying to subjugate people is seen repeating in history and many of the great men and prophets have tried to fight this menace. In Kerala it is time this is taken up in all earnest. The recent incidents in Kerala where the `holier than thou'
Tantris were caught indulging in evil practices failed to open the eyes of the people. Most of them unfortunately have made the temples places for all kinds of extortion and it is their greed rather than anything divine that happens in most places. Also the greed of those who ally with them for the money, power and some privileges. What the present Devaswom Boards are typical examples. Where the rot in the name of god has reached the limits. The clever priests and their bosses make use of the others for their own motives and share a part of the loot. Spirituality is their last priority. Where a cleansing is badly needed.
In Kerala the native temples were almost all originally from the Tantric stream, not the Vedic Brahmin stream and were owned by the various native communities. Often the temples were in the ownership of and protection of the Nayars, warriors and nobility of Kerala in the pre-caste period in history. Nayars were a Tantric people and the high status of women etc in the old matriarchial Nayar community point to this. Later
these were taken over by the Vedic Brahmins and a new model of Tantra, what the 'Tantris' now follow, enforced. What many consider fake Tantra. The British period saw the temples taken over from the original communities and the rituals altered, sadly the priests allied with the British as history shows. Where the situation remains till date, despite freedom from British rule. The Tantric stream
did not have subjugation of women, low castes or fake brahmacharya and vegetarianism. All of which are from the Vedic model and alien to majority Kerala Hindu society. What is now paraded as authentic Hinduism.
And with the fast spread of caste Brahmin controlled Hindutwa in the recent past, and the fan following for the Brahminised god-men and god-women, the Vedic Brahmin model is trying for an alarming come back and this, despite its few good sides, is going to be damaging to the larger Hindu society. More and more temples where non-Brahmins were priests are swallowed by the Brahmins and the rituals being altered. They use a clever arrangement by linking astrologers, doing 'Devaprasnams' and assorted crafts. What creates mayhem in Hindu society as concepts of fake brahmacharya, vegetarianism etc are being freely used. What leads to nerotic behaviour in the people as denial of natural urges in ordinary people are damaging. In this in Kerala, unfortunately the Nayar community is the most affected, but ironically they are also the facilitators. Perhaps because they are the most hypnotized by the propaganda of priesthood. They get used, but are not aware of this. The divided Hindu society disintegrates.
The inhuman and prejudiced attitudes towards the Dalits and low castes have no place in the modern era, it is also highly damaging to the larger Hindu society
which is on the run in Kerala. But the fossilized priestly practices are trying to bring this back with a vengeance. The islands were the old Tantric models
survived, many old temples, are also giving in to the Vedic Brahmin models. Many Dalit owned and tribal owned places of worship are being captured by the
forces of new Hindutwa, where new Brahmin priests and rituals are enforced. Hence there is no other way except discontinuing the custom of caste Brahmin male priests, if that is not voluntarily happening, daring initiatives like ousting the Brahmin
priests from all the temples may be necessary. It will also help them themselves. Everyone who respects the beliefs and has the spiritual competence should be permitted inside sanctums. New priesthood and rituals cultivated with the guidance of those with the vision. While various communities who share common subcultures and values, what became caste later, may retain these, there should not be any hierarchy and prejudices between man and man. What is man made, neither is there a need for middlemen between man and god. What the priests claim to be.
