Amid much tension, Dalit residents of Kotthihalli village in Tumakuru taluk entered Kuchchangiamma temple for the first time in their life for two hours between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. on May 21. This was during the annual fair of village to honour their deity.
However, soon after, people opposed to this development called off the fair.
Kotthihalli is a small village with 198 households and a population of approximately 950.
In mid-May, the Dalits had raised their long-pending demand to enter the temple. They were also unhappy that the fair dates had been fixed without consulting them. A majority of the villagers, who are from the Vokkaliga community, opposed this and called off the annual fair.
On May 18, officials from the Social Welfare Department and the tahsildar visited the village. They brought both sides together for a discussion, which ended with the villagers agreeing to hold the annual five-day fair from May 19 and a promise that Dalits could enter the temple.
However, according to the villagers, the priest agreed to perform puja only after the police intervened. Later, at 7 a.m., he allegedly locked the temple door and left the premises. Around the same time, the fair was called off abruptly.
Dalit villagers were unhappy that the temple was locked after their visit. The tahsildar and officials of the Social Welfare Department visited the village on Thursday and tried to reason with the villagers, but the priest and members of the Vokkaliga community refused to meet them.
Tahsildar Range Gowda told The Hindu , “There is no clash in the village. If necessary, a peace meeting will be arranged.”
