Sengol was received by the subordinate chiefs in New Delhi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. , Photo Credit: ANI
heyOn the surface, the presence of the heads of the Saivite monasteries of Tamil Nadu at the inauguration of the new Parliament building may offer a parallel to that of August 14, 1947, when a representative of the Thiruvaduthurai Aadheenam (monastery) presented a sengol (scepter) to Jawaharlal Nehru Was. , But the unprecedented royal welcome to the heads of Shaiv mutts clearly indicates that the BJP has a political plan for Tamil Nadu. Unlike the Sankara Matha of Kanchipuram, these non-Brahmin Saiva mathas never maintained close ties with political parties. The BJP, or more specifically, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has tried to break the mold and win the trust of the mutt heads and their followers.
“India has been ruled by 14 Prime Ministers. None of them did anything worthwhile for the Tamil language. they ruled with a parliament [building] Built by the British… Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proved that he is a true patriot and has made us proud,” said the head of the Madurai Adheenam. His words reflect the sentiment among heads of mutts, who have always felt sidelined by the politically powerful Sankara Mutt in Tamil Nadu. And it has helped in a small way that the BJP, which has not been able to make much headway in Tamil Nadu, has a strong hold on two Dravidian parties – the AIADMK and the DMK – and fringe elements advocating Dravidian ideology and Tamil nationalism. , Except for Dravida Kazhagam (DK), parties including DMK and AIADMK remain silent on the Delhi incident, fearing antagonism to Tamil sentiments.
Although not an organized religious sect like the Lingayats in Karnataka, the Saivites in Tamil Nadu played an important role in the formation of the anti-Brahmin movement. Leaders like Maraimalai Adigal worked closely with DK founder Periyar EV Ramasamy since the days of the Self-Respect Movement. But differences on the question of religion caused divisions among them, especially when the leaders of the movement launched an attack Periya PuranamBiographies of 63 Shaiva saints in verse. However, Shaivites remained supporters of the Dravidian movement and Dravidian parties.
A frequently asked question is who is a Shaivite? “Who is a Shaiva and what is Shaivism is difficult to define. Sometimes Shaivism refers to a caste or sub-caste; at other times it refers to a religion; at a third it refers to a system of philosophy . It could be three at the same time. It may or may not indicate a Vellala; it may indicate a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian,” writes historian AR Venkatachalapati in his article ‘Dravidian Movement and Shaivism: 1927-1944’ wrote. Economic and Political Weekly, Recalling what Tamil scholar P. Chidambaram Pillai said.
Traditionally agriculturists, the Vellas are followers of Shaivism. They are one of the largest communities, although they have several sects such as Nanjil Naatu Vellalas, Tirunelveli Vellalas, Chozhiya Vellalas, Veerakudi Vellalas, Thondai Mandala Vellalas, Kongu Vellalas and Karkatha Vellalas. Some use the title ‘Pillai’. The world of Tamil literature was once dominated by the landlord community. Vellalas can be vegetarian or non-vegetarian. The vegetarian sect represented by the Tirunelveli Vellalas has always considered itself superior.
Sri Venkatachalapathy writes in his book, “While in other parts of India, upward social mobility is represented by Brahminization, in Tamil Nadu it is represented by Vellalarization.” Dravida Iyakkamam Vellaalrum (Dravidian movement and Vellala).
An attempt has been made to bring Vellalas under one umbrella. During elections, some fringe organizations visit parts of Tamil Nadu where Vellalas have a substantial presence and campaign for the party they support. The reservation proposed by the BJP for Economically Weaker Sections is also in favor of a section of the community that does not come under the communal reservation policy.
BJP has resorted to social engineering in Tamil Nadu after implementing it in UP, it has started playing the ‘minority community among Hindus’ card. There has been an increase in the number of devotees coming to Shaiv Maths. By making the heads of the mutes the center of power, the BJP is trying to take them in its fold. He said that the Shaiva community as a vote bank is a ‘swing factor’ in Tamil Nadu politics and the BJP has tried to strengthen them and make them a solid vote bank.