- Natarajan Sundar
- For BBC Tamil
19 minutes ago
Tamil Nadu has banned the entry of Dharmapura Athena Patna, who is carrying the abbot on a pedestal, demanding an end to the practice of carrying human beings. The Tamil Nadu government lifted the ban following protests.
The button-up event, which usually goes unnoticed by the public, was held on Sunday night after the controversy. An unusual number of devotees attended the event.
In an interview with BBC Tamil on the occasion, Dharmapura Athena said, “We are not forcing anyone to carry the pulpit. This spiritual festival is beyond politics.
In Mayiladuthurai district Dharmapuram Aadeenam, the annual Gurupuja festival and the Pattina Pravesha festival are celebrated for 11 days. On the 11th day of the event, there will be a Thirugnanasambandar Gurupuja festival, the birth of Athena, and a tooth-picking entrance ceremony. During this event, devotees will carry the Dharmapuram Adhinakarta on a pedestal around the four streets.
Meanwhile, Mayiladuthurai Govt.
Held very critically Entrance to starvation
As this became a major controversy, Hindu organizations, devotees and various political parties strongly opposed the government’s ban on religious practices. A resolution was brought to the attention of the assembly. On the 7th, Kottachiyar issued an order to lift the ban on the tooth-lifting program after various aides met the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and made a request. Then the starvation event took place this year as usual. Thousands of devotees from across Tamil Nadu attended the event on Sunday. Political figures including Tamil Nadu BJP leader Annamalai and former national leader H. Raja participated.
What the Lord said?
Dharmapuram Athena Dharmapuram Athena told BBC Tamil that the spiritual ceremony of lifting the tooth is beyond politics.
He added, “The Pallaku incident did not go unnoticed during the British rule, followed by the Congress regime, the Karunanidhi regime and many subsequent regimes called the AIADMK regime. It has not been disrupted at present.
We are not forcing anyone to carry the pulpit. Discipleship to the Guru must be done consistently. This spiritual ceremony is beyond politics. Those who will come to power should continue to take care of this. It is like this in every religion. All parties, organizations, movements, forums, aristocrats, abbots, Vaishnavites all voiced their support for the famine, ”he said.
What the toothpick lifters say?
Sankaran, who hails from a tooth-picking family in Athena, says they have been doing this as their duty for a long time.
Sankaran
He said, “We are bound to Dharmapuram Aadeenam. For the first ten days of the festival we will lift the Sami, on the 11th day we will use our Guru as a Sami and bring him in procession around the toothpick. Some people say that man should not sleep as man. We have been doing this since time immemorial and it does not matter what anyone says politically.
No matter what Sami comes to Dharmapuram, they are our deity. We follow our tradition of keeping them and lifting them on the tooth. We have been doing this since our Paton period. My children will come after my period. Whoever becomes the Dharmapura Aadeen, we are bound to the 72 families living in Dharmapuram Pillaiyar Temple Street, Mariamman Temple Street. That is our duty, “said Sankaran.
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