Dalits Enter Temple In TN's Tiruvannamalai For First Time In Over 100 Years After Social Media Debate

During the entry, however, the people from other communities did not oppose the move.

After over 100 years of being kept away from temples in Tiruvannamalai, for the first time ever several Dalit families entered Mariamman temple in Chellankuppam village in the district on Wednesday. The Dalits entered the temple with the help of a police contingent who guarded the people in order to avoid any untoward incidents. 

During the entry, however, people from other communities did not oppose the move, said a report in Times of India.

In July, the temple entry issue came to the limelight after two youths from Dalit and Vanniyar, a Most Backward Community in Tamil Nadu, clashed with each other over the matter. Both the youth were previously classmates but were residing in Chennai for work purposes. They recently got into an argument on social media over Dalits entering the temple and when they later met in the village they got into a fist fight. 

Following this, Dalits met district revenue officials and police to submit petitions requesting them to allow them to enter the temple.

They also informed me that they would enter the temple on Wednesday.

Talking to ABP Nadu, a 50-year-old Dalit woman said, "It is a long-time belief here that newlywed couple who offer prayers and Pongal in the temple will get what they wished for. However, we were not allowed to enter the temple to worship the deity idols and seek blessing.”

“We were ill-treated, they did not even give us ash and even stones were pelted at us when we tried to enter the temple," she said. 

However, she said, "Now we are very much happy and we thank from deep hearts to people who tried and brought this change. the temple now belongs to us too."

Till now, Dalits were offering prayer at Kaliammal temple built by them in their village.