Orissa temple purified after low caste minister visit

[maximus]

BHUBANESWAR, India (Reuters) - Hindu priests in Orissa are under investigation for conducting a purification ritual soon after a minister belonging to a lower caste visited a famous temple, officials said on Friday.

Minutes after Pramila Mallick, a minister in Orissa, prayed at the temple this week, Hindu priests shut the doors and threw away holy offerings, washed the floors and changed the idol's clothes, one official said.

"Some priests opposed the minister's entry into the interior chamber of the temple," Upendra Mallik, a senior government official told Reuters. "We are investigating."

In India, millions of people formerly known as "untouchables" remain oppressed at the bottom of the ancient Hindu caste system.

The minister said the purification ritual, at the Akhandalamani temple in Orissa's Bhadrak district, could have been conducted at the behest of her political rivals.

"I have been visiting the temple for years now. Some politically motivated people want to create controversy," she said.

In spite of India's secular constitution banning caste discrimination, Dalits -- those at the bottom of the caste system -- are still commonly beaten or killed for using a well or worshipping at a temple reserved for upper castes.

More than 16 percent of India's 1.1-billion population are Dalits, occupying the lowest rank in a 3,000-year-old Hindu caste system.

Source: Orissa temple purified after low caste minister visit | Top News | Reuters

 

[roopesh]

BHUBANESWAR, India (Reuters) - Hindu priests in Orissa are under investigation for conducting a purification ritual soon after a minister belonging to a lower caste visited a famous temple, officials said on Friday.

Its very much religious practice and I support this. In our house also we do this if some visitor enters our praying hall knowling or unknowlingly.

Indian temples have some rituals to be followed to enter the inner temple. Every temple has two portions..(atleast) one is where Idol is situated and its ourside is temple space. TO enter the innter temple one should follow some rituals. For ex its not allowed for ppl who eat nonveg and consume alcohol. One should enter after taking bath. One should follow all religious practices to enter. If someone like minister who enters this area with his influence cant be stoped me human preists ...All they do is wash the premisis with water for their mental satisfaction.

Govt cant take any action. Becouze they havnt hurted anyone and its very much a rule.

PPl who doenst have idea about practices makes a big news. The cleaning is taken place not beacouse he is from lower cast; instead he entered as a non vegitarian and he entered without taking bath.

 

[maximus]

^^ Wow, what a way to justify such discrimination. I'm absolutely flabbergasted. Your comments don't surprise me slightly... Why differentiate between people? Why have upper and lower castes? Don't you think there's something seriously sickening about it?

 

[Communist]

This is very useful post. I know some indian hindu members of this forum claimed to belong to low caste. Ok let me be clear I have no business with their castes. But i know indian upper caste hindus hate them and ironically low caste hindus can enter a Mosque but they cannot enter a temple. Orissa's minister being a VIP person was treated like that, now anyone can imagine what kind of treatment is given to the ordinary low castes.

It may seem off topic, but it has a relevancy, an indian hindu whose name is Ashoka has posted on my visitors message box some slangs and that reflects they have no respect for their own mothers and sisters. Anyone if you know hindi, can visit my profile page to see an example of hindu culture.

 

[BATMAN]

In spite of India's secular constitution banning caste discrimination, Dalits -- those at the bottom of the caste system -- are still commonly beaten or killed for using a well or worshipping at a temple reserved for upper castes.

It is moral duty of Pakistan to extend moral support to those low cast hindus being treated as animals in its neighborhood in a similar way as Zardari issued statements in favor of Palestinians.
I hope GEO and Asma Jehangir will take note of such gross violations of human rights and take the matter to the international level.
I don't think that indian media have courage to talk the taboo issues of its society.

 

[roopesh]

^^ Wow, what a way to justify such discrimination. I'm absolutely flabbergasted.

Its not at all discrimination. If you go to temple its not allowed for upper cast also to enter. Only preists, their family are allowed. If priest knows a family who follow all these religious practices they will allow them. U need to understand and respect temple culture.

This ministers think they are dummy gods. Idiots. They think everywhere in inida they deserve the royal treatment and respect.

 

[BATMAN]

The cleaning is taken place not beacouse he is from lower cast; instead he entered as a non vegitarian and he entered without taking bath.

How do you ensure about one's menu?
How can you acertain if the person has taken bath or not?
I believe lower cast hindus in india cannot afford to eat meat! in this sense they all should be allowed to enter the place where idol is placed.

 

[maximus]

Its not at all discrimination. If you go to temple its not allowed for upper cast also to enter. Only preists, their family are allowed. If priest knows a family who follow all these religious practices they will allow them. U need to understand and respect temple culture.

This ministers think they are dummy gods. Idiots. They think everywhere in inida they deserve the royal treatment and respect.

Well, you're clearly not answering my question. Why does Hinduism encourage the division between certain people? What is the exact logic behind the upper and lower caste system?

 

[Communist]

The only way for all low caste hindus is to get converted into Islam. Yes Islam will save them from the perpetual slavery and inhuman discrimination. All members you can notice, how some hindus hate and discriminate people and they always want to justify and legitimize that. Muslims are often forbidden to enter hindu houses in india because Muslims eat beef.

Dear Forum Members, will you agree with hindus to discriminate people on the basis of skin color or food habit? Never....

The process of legitimizing the inhuman practice in the name of religion continues as you will find below...
v v v v

 

[roopesh]

^^ Wow, what a way to justify such discrimination. I'm absolutely flabbergasted. Your comments don't surprise me slightly... Why differentiate between people? Why have upper and lower castes? Don't you think there's something seriously sickening about it?

Hindu basically has 4 castes. "Brahmins" who serve the god. "Kshatriyas" to serve the country(military and king). "Vishyas" to serve the business. "Shudras" to all other service. When this rule made these divisions were interchangeble. Like a bramin can become kshatriya to fight etc...social system demanded certain level of rituals for differnet castes. Later the system become so rigid ppl chaning the caste werent allowed.

Today most of the temples served by brahmins as the temple rituals remained within. Most of the temple prist jobs are family oriented. Also govt appoints any caste person if he clears temple ritual exams. Lower caste is not intersted in that and nothing big deal about it becoz the earnings is not too high too and it demands big dedication and commitment to follow.
Me bing from a priest family so far i havnt tasted a single drop of beer and not tasted any non-veg food.
Being a islamic ppl you know how much its important to keep our tradition. So whats wrong in not allowing a minister to inside the innter temple. He is allowed to come to temple...watch the idol. Only part we reject is he is not allowed to come near the god and touch it. HOPE this is clear. No one is rejected to see the god. but ppl are not allowed to touch.

 

[paritosh]

it's the nature of most religions to divide....
aren't muslims divided into shia,sunni,wahabi,deobandi...etc?
it's upto you what you want to synthesise from your religion....most hindus are leaving behind caste system of yore...
nobody noticed the fact that the low-caste guy being discussed is a minister..!
so low-caste people are not as badly discriminated agaisnt as you might think...
trust me...i am a brahmin...and never have i know how to detect a low-caste from a high caste...nobody teaches you that...so the divide is not as bad as it seems...
it's a good thing that indian media is responsible enough to bring these things to light.

 

[Flintlock]

The only way for all low caste hindus is to get converted into Islam. Yes Islam will save them from the perpetual slavery and inhuman discrimination. All members you can notice, how some hindus hate and discriminate people and they always want to justify and legitimize that. Muslims are often forbidden to enter hindu houses in india because Muslims eat beef.

Dear Forum Members, will you agree with hindus to discriminate people on the basis of skin color or food habit? Never....

Aren't you a communist? Maybe you should change your name to Islamist.

 

[Always Neutral]

Its very much religious practice and I support this. In our house also we do this if some visitor enters our praying hall knowling or unknowlingly.

Indian temples have some rituals to be followed to enter the inner temple. Every temple has two portions..(atleast) one is where Idol is situated and its ourside is temple space. TO enter the innter temple one should follow some rituals. For ex its not allowed for ppl who eat nonveg and consume alcohol. One should enter after taking bath. One should follow all religious practices to enter. If someone like minister who enters this area with his influence cant be stoped me human preists ...All they do is wash the premisis with water for their mental satisfaction.

Govt cant take any action. Becouze they havnt hurted anyone and its very much a rule.

PPl who doenst have idea about practices makes a big news. The cleaning is taken place not beacouse he is from lower cast; instead he entered as a non vegitarian and he entered without taking bath.

What crap ? Were you alive when God gave you this crapy rules ? These are bad practices and Indian must throw those who practice in jail and that includes you. Neo please purify this website when people post such horrible posts justifying caste systems.

Regards

 

[roopesh]

How do you ensure about one's menu?
How can you acertain if the person has taken bath or not?
I believe lower cast hindus in india cannot afford to eat meat! in this sense they all should be allowed to enter the place where idol is placed.

Normal practice is to allow ppl who wear traditional indian dress; In south india only dhatar and a towel, and in north a shirt (cold climate) with dhatar is allowed. Modren dress is not allowed and u cant stay with those ppl after taking bath. If u observe most of the temples are located close to rivers to facilitate ppl taking bath and then enter the temple.

All the lower caste allowed to eat non-veg/meet. Only brahmins and king not allowed as per religion. Now in a modren temple environment local temple committe comeup with rules. At the end they dont want to compramise rules of temple for someones sake or someones logic. So they ban inner temple visit to all of them including upper/lower caste. Only if ur a member of temple commitee or member of preists family they will allow.

But these nonsense poleticians dont have any logic. they think entering inner temple is like VIP entrance and create all such dramas.

 

[Flintlock]

What crap ? Were you alive when God gave you this crapy rules ? These are bad practices and Indian must throw those who practice in jail and that includes you. Neo please purify this website when people post such horrible posts justifying caste systems.

Regards

Its a temple ritual, restricted to the temple premises.

What is so evil about it? Is someone being denied their human rights?