Dalits leaders call for ban of superstitious Hindu rituals

Stanley Pinto

MANGALORE: The Karnataka 'dalit' leaders have called for a ban of the south Indian Hindu ritual 'made made snana' and its tweaked versions, describing them as superstitious, unscientific and casteist.

'Made made snana' is a ritual that involves devotees rolling over left-over food by "upper-caste" Brahmins, believing that it would rid them of skin ailments. The ritual is held during the 'Champa Shashti' in Subrahmanya every year for three days. The superstitious ritual has been practised for long and recently seer Vishveshateertha of Pejawar mutt suggested its tweaked version after a campaign against the ritual was launched by KS Shivaramu, president, Karnataka State Hindulida Vargagala Jagrutha Vedike last year.

Shivaramu's organization and Dalita Hindulida Alpasankyatara Samanvaya Vedike rejected Vishveshateertha's tweaked version of 'made made snana' ritual. ''Made snana in any form is superstition. There is no scientific basis for the continuation of this ritual,'' KS Shivaramu, president, Karnataka State Hindulida Vargagala Jagrutha Vedike told TOI.

Harihara Ananda Swamy, honorary president of Dalita Hindulida Alpasankyatara Samanvaya Vedike, Mysore, was curt in his reaction: "The seer is again trying to subjugate a community through these superstitious rituals. This is another way to keep the superstitious beliefs alive. They should be banned and we implore Pejawar seer to take a lead in this movement and support us.''

The meeting held at Kukke Subrahmanya under the leadership of the seer has made three suggestions to the temple committee and the state government for implementation. He suggested- devotees can perform 'urulu seve' on the ground without rolling over leftovers on plantain leaves; offer food to either Lord Subrahmanya or a cow, spread it out on plantain leaves and allow devotees to roll over it.

After he was assaulted by some devotees outside the Kukke temple last year, Shivaramu defying the threats made efforts to stop 'made made snana' and 'pankthi bedha' (discriminatory practice of serving meals separately to Brahmins in temples) throughout the state. He will visit the city on Thursday to elicit support for banning both the rituals in Hindu temples.

Shivaramu said if 'pankthi bedha' was stopped, 'made snana' ritual would die a natural death.

[Courtesy: TOI, July 11, 2012]