Temple Priests in Tamil Nadu Deny Sacred Ashes to Dalits, FIR Lodged

Temple priests in Tamil Nadu deny sacred ashes to Dalits, FIR lodged

Dalits in Tamil Nadu’s Pudukottai district were denied vibudhi (sacred ashes) by temple priests of Kaliyuga Meyya Ayyanar Temple on July 6. Based on their complaint, an FIR was lodged against the temple priests, Ganesh and Sambandham Gurukkal M Anbuselvam, under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Dalit residents from Vadavalam panchayat were denied vibudhi while attending the deeparadhanai (lighting lamps). The temple priests refused to g…

Dalits denied ‘Vibuthi’ at Pudukottai Temple, allege caste bias in complaint

In Tamil Nadu’s Pudukottai district, Dalit residents of Vadavalam panchayat have alleged caste-based exclusion at HR&CE’s Kaliyuga Meyya Ayyanar Temple. The incident reportedly took place on July 6, during a ritual performed outside the temple premises ahead of the annual chariot festival. As per the complaint submitted at Sambattividuthi police station on the same day, the temple priest, after completing the deeparadhanai, began distributing vi…