After marathon talks with the caste Hindus and Dalits on Tuesday, who agreed for a peaceful celebration of Muthalamman festival at the Muthalamman Temple in Uthapuram, the district administration decided to reverse its prohibitory order and permit the villagers to celebrate the temple festival on Wednesday.
Usilampatti Revenue Divisional Officer M. Balasubramaniam withdrew the prohibitory order, dated October 13, thus paving way for the celebration.
Peace talks
Superintendent of Police Vijayendra Bidari and the RDO held talks with both the groups separately.
“A large number of people from both sides took part in the talks. They had promised to conduct the festival smoothly,” Mr. Balasubramaniam said.
The SP said that close watch was being kept in Uthapuram, where a “wall of untouchability” was demolished by the district administration in 2008. The action was necessitated after Dalits complained of being not allowed to use the common pathway.
However, after a long peace process, Dalits were permitted into the temple in 2011 amidst tight police security after leaders of both sides agreed for an amicable solution.
The RDO told The Hindu that the temple was being cleaned on Tuesday night after its gates were opened after nearly one and a half years.
The Muthalamman festival is all about bringing an idol of the deity from Elumalai in procession. After special puja and deeparathana, the idol would be immersed in a tank, the police said. “Both sides feel that the temple festival should be celebrated for the common good. The caste Hindus agreed to accommodate Dalits,” a police officer said.
The RDO said that the only condition was that there should not be any infringement on the rights of Dalits. “People of all community, including Dalits, should be allowed to offer worship,” Mr. Bidari said.
A Dalit leader, C. Sankaralingam, said that youths of their community offered prayers on Tuesday night after the gates were opened.
