In Nagercoil city of Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari district, Hindu devotees have been protesting against a ban imposed by the Tamil Nadu government on gathering at the Mandaikadu Bhagwathi Ammam Temple. This temple is dedicated to Goddess Shakthi.
For more than 80 years, a religious conference is organized by the Haindava Seva Sangham (HSS) at the temple during the famous Masi Kodai festival held annually on. Starting on March 5, this festival will last for ten days. This time, however, the Hindu Religious and Charity Endowment (HRCE) Board has decreed that “private” religious gatherings and conferences would not be permitted, effectively outlawing the religious conference hosted by the Haindava Seva Sangham.
This move by the HRCE department of the Tamil Nadu government has been widely criticized by the local Hindus who have been peacefully protesting in various parts of Kanyakumari. On Wednesday (February 15), several Hindu devotees including women blocked the roads at multiple locations in Kanyakumari including Melpurum, Marthandam, Nagercoil, and Towala. The protesting Hindus said that they will not allow the government to succeed in stopping activities related to Hindu Dharma.
Haindava Seva Sangham
In its report, Swarajya highlighted the persistent efforts of the Haindava Seva Sangham in the service of Hindu dharma. For over the last 89 years, Haindava Seva Sangham has been organizing Hindu religious conferences at the Mandaikadu. During the British colonial rule, HSS posed a significant resistance to the evangelist forces which were well-funded and backed by the British administration. HSS did the Herculean task of uniting Hindus against the conversion missionaries.
Prominent festivals of Hindus were frequently the targets of Christian missionaries’ conversion campaigns. In the precise place where Hindus had gathered to worship, they would build a platform and denigrate the Hindu devi-devtas. Since there was no proper organization of the Hindus, there was hardly any opposition to the activities of the Christian missionaries. Even at the Mandaikadu Bhagwathi Amman Temple, which is also known as the ‘Sabrimala of women’ as women devotees here carry ‘Irumudi Kattu’ to the temple, and follow rituals similar to those performed by Hindu men at the Sabarimala temple in Kerala.
The Church deliberately intimidated Hindus by positioning speakers towards the temple during this shrine’s festival. This was opposed by the HSS.
1982 Mandaikadu riots
In March 1982, when MGR, the popular actor-turned-politician was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, under the influence of the Christian priest, several Christian locals barred Hindu women from accessing the sacred bath and molested them. This resulted in violent clashes. Six persons died and 21 others were severely injured on March 1 when police opened fire upon Christian fishermen who reportedly stopped Hindu women from taking the ceremonial bath.
Following this, Venugopal Commission was constituted by the then CM MGR-led government to examine the circumstances that led to the communal riots and also sought suggestions in order to prevent such incidents from happening in the future. The commission led by Justice P Venugopal made several recommendations including the implementation of a common civil code in line with the guidelines stated in Article 44 of the Indian constitution, curbing of foreign funds by amending the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act as most of these foreign funds sent for educational purposes of the Christian institutions were diverted to fund conversion activities on Indian soil. Moreover, the commission also recommended enacting an anti-conversion law.
Swarajya report has pointed out the change in the strategy adopted by the ‘church’ as now they have claimed that Mandaikadu Bhagwathi Ammam is a sister of Mary. To back this claim, “the inputs from Folklore study Departments of Catholic controlled autonomous universities around are used.”
Mandaikadu Bhagwathi Ammam Temple – ‘Sabrimala of women’
The Mandaikadu Bhagavathi Amman Temple is dedicated to Goddess Shakthi. A 15-foot-tall anthill is revered as the Goddess in this location. It is believed that the anthill, which has five heads, is constantly growing. It is believed that it is the same place where Adi Shankaracharya once offered pooja to a Sri Chakra. There is also a Sri Chakra sanctum sanctorum.
The name “Women’s Sabarimala” was derived from the large number of women who fast for 41 days, especially those from Kerala, and who thereafter travel to the Mandaikadu Bhagavathi Amman Temple while carrying the “Irumudi Kettu” on their heads. The temple’s design is reminiscent of Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple in Kerala.
Every year during the Maasi Kodai Festival, which takes place in February, women in Kerala fast for 41 days and visit Mandaikadu Temple, much as men fast for 41 days to pray at Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple.
