News Tamil Nadu

Wife Of Allegedly Assaulted Deekshitar Says He Was Pushed And His Poonool Was Cut

June 29, 2023
The Commune

In a recent controversy surrounding the Chidambaram Natarajar Temple, there have been allegations of assault and cutting of a sacred thread (janeu/poonool) of Deekshitars by the officials who had forcibly entered the Kanakasabai (golden platform) during the Aani Thirumanjanam Festival.

Supporters of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party have vehemently denied the incident.  Accusations of spreading fake news and tagging police and DMK’s IT wing handles on Twitter have been directed towards The Commune that had also reported the incident.

Despite the denial from DMK supporters, it has been firmly established that on 27 June 2023, officials forcibly entered the Kanakasabai of the Chidambaram Natarajar Temple, leading to a scuffle in which a Deekshitar’s janeu/poonool was allegedly cut and their clothes torn. 

In a video that is being shared on social media platforms, the wife of the assaulted Deekshitar expressed her distress at seeing her husband in such a vulnerable state. She said he was feeling giddy and needed to be taken to the hospital.

“He is feeling giddy and was about to fall down. Poonool has been cut and they’ve pulled his veshti.”, the wife of the Deekshitar says.

“They cut his poonool. Can they do that?”, she emphasized that the poonool of her Deekshitar husband was cut.

She highlighted the infringement on personal boundaries, stating, “If you are a female, what right does one have to touch a male?” indicating one of the lady officials had actually pushed the Deekshitar. 

“Had the roles been reversed, the media would’ve pounced on it. Will you put this in the media now? I dare that lady official who pushed my husband to come before me. Whoever she may be.”, the wife of the Deekshitar says.

In an interview, the advocate representing the Deekshitars confirmed the authenticity of the incident, further corroborating the evidence. 

In the above video, he says “what is the need for carrying out an attack that results in the cutting off of the sacred thread? I leave it for the people to see.”

But, Chidambaram police officials have denied that such an incident happened. They say that officials had entered the platform to allow worship as per the government order.

However, it is a matter of surprise that supporters of Dravidian ideology that prides itself on cutting sacred threads of Brahmins and challenging their customs and traditions are crying foul and denying that such a similar act was committed now. Here is a video featuring Sirpi Rajan, a senior Dravidian Stockist leader recalling an anecdote about cutting janeu and shikha of Tamil Brahmins in the past. 

The denial from DMK supporters contradicts their ideology’s historical stance on the janeu, which has been a source of concern for proponents of the Dravidian movement.

Instances of uproar have occurred in the past, most notably when cricketer Venkatesh Iyer shared photos of himself wearing janeu and playing cricket with children at a vedapatashala, and when Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katch (VCK) chief Thirumavalavan proclaimed his intention to ban the janeu if he came into power.

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