Thol. Thiruma’s tryst with Sanatana Dharma

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi head Thol. Thirumavalavan is once again in news for his diatribes against one particular faith – Hinduism/Sanatana Dharma. Right from the beginning of his political innings, he has been vocal about ‘uprooting Sanatana Dharma’ and his punching bag remains the ‘Manu Smriti’ a text that is neither relevant to present times nor finds its place in pooja rooms of Hindus and temples.

Earlier, in 2019, the Chidambaram MP conducted the anti-Sanatana conference under the banner ‘Desam Kaapom’ held in Trichy. These were the words of Thol. Thirumavalavan ““All these leaders have congregated here to stop the Santana forces from coming to power. Only if Sanatana is abolished brotherhood will prevail.” Also in this conference were other leaders like DMK chief MK Stalin, Dravida Kazhagam chief K. Veeramani, MDMK General Secretary Vaiko, CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury, Puducherry Chief Minister Narayanasamy, Former Union Minsiter Kodikunil Suresh, General Secretary of Communist Party of India Sudhakar Reddy, among others.

In November 2019, he was booked for hurting religious sentiments when he made a comment on temples. He had said “if a structure built like a dome it is a Mosque, if there is a tall tower like structure it is a Church, if there are ugly figurines it is a Hindu temple”.

In 2017, he had also called for the demolition of all Sivan and Vishnu temples and building Buddhist vihars.

However, this man shares a tryst with the very same religion he abuses.  Come election time, one can spot Thol. Thirumavalavan frequenting Hindu temples and getting the blessings of the very same ‘paarpanars’ (Brahmins) against whom he spews venom. Here are some of the moments when Thiruma upheld Sanatana Dharma:

1. Chidambaram Temple Visit 2014

In 2014, Thol. Thirumavalavan visited the Chidambaram Natarajar Temple and asked for the support of the Deekshithars for the Lok Sabha elections.

He was given a special darshan of the lord and prasadams. He later told the reporters that though he supported the take over the administration of the temple by the state, he had no personal animosity towards the Deekshitars.

2. Chidambaram Temple Visit 2016

In the run up to the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections in 2016, Thirumavalavan visited the Chidambaram Natarajar Temple ‘to appeal to all sections of the society to get votes’.

Speaking to The Hindu, he had said “As an MP seeking re-election, I have to appeal to all voters in the constituency, irrespective of their background. I have nothing against the Dikshitars personally,”.  At that time, Thirumavalavan had supported the DMK government’s attempt to take over the administration of the temple from the Dikshithars.

He had also said that he visited the temple in 2009 too for the same purpose – ‘to appeal to all voters’.

3. Pennadam Agaram Temple Kumbabishegam 

In the year 2017, Thol. Thirumavalavan participate and performed the ‘Kumbabishegam’ for a temple in Agaram near Pennadam in Cuddalore district.

4. Anganur Mayavan Temple Kumbabishegam 

Thirumavalavan had participated in the renovation and the consecration ceremony of his ‘kuladeivam’ temple at his native village Anganur in July 2018. He said that the Kumbabishegam happened with great fervour amidst the chants of Saiva Thirumurais and Vaishnavite Pasurams by Sivachariars.

5. Anganur Amman Temple Kumbabishegam 

He also performed the Kumbabishegam of the Amman temple at his native village Anganur in Ariyalur district in October 2018.

6. Kumbabishegam at Sathiyavadi village 

He again participated in Kumbabishegam of a Hindu temple in Sathiyavadi village in Cuddalore district in the year 2019.

7. Chidambaram Temple Visit for 2019 Lok Sabha elections

After the calling for the ‘uprooting of Sanatana Dharma’ in the Desam Kappom Maanadu in January 2019, Thirumavalavan visited Chidambaram temple in March 2019 in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections ‘for vote collection’.

8. Building another Sivan temple at Anganur 

In February 2020, it was reported that Thirumavalavan had borne the entire responsibility of building a temple for Lord Shiva in his native Anganur after the people of his village came to him for asking his help.

Thirumavalavan had said “I have borne the entire responsibility of building a Sivan temple in my native village. You all have faith that Lord Shiva resides there and gives his blessings. I care for respecting people who have faith in God. My relatives are believers in God. Personally I never want to hurt the religious sentiments and the feelings of the people”.

This offer to help building a Sivan temple and the above statement came following the backlash he received for calling Hindu temples as structures with ‘ugly figurines’.

9. Funeral rites of his sister as per Sanatana Dharma

Thirumavalavan performed the 16th day rites following his sister’s death as per the Santana Dharma traditions by performing homam in the presence of a Hindu priest and chanting of hymns.

It is but strange that while Thirumavalavan upholds Sanatana Dharma in his personal life he resorts to spewing unwarranted hate against the same in public for the sake of consolidating and harvesting minority votes.

Now that he has upset the Hindus once again, and with hardly a couple of months for Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, it won’t be a surprise if one bumps into Thirumavalavan at Chidambaram Natarajar temple in the coming weeks or if he participates in another temple Kumbabishegam. Again he will get away by winning another election. Again he will call for the uprooting of ‘Sanatana Dharma’. Again we will be writing about it.