Ezhavas are not Hindus
E.Madhavan
To use the Ezhavas as scapegoats/foot soildiers of Hindutva is the main aim of the current SNDP General secretary Mr.Vellapallay Natesan. In an effort towards the formation of Hindu parliament or Hindu Aikyavedi; to ensure the participation from Nayadis to Namboothiris; these "Guru-worshipers" forget the sole of Sreenarayana Guru who was an anti-savarna caste and anti-Hindutva in his ideological leanings. This book written by former S.N.D.P secretary E.Madhavan reminds them of their own history. This is the detailed version of the speech he had delivered at the "Thiyya youth society" meeting at Pattanakkad in 1934. He contends that "Ezhavas are not Hindus; they were Budhists who were following their own indigenous religion." This book was a scathing critique of Hindutva and Brahmanical dominance that Sir C P Ramaswamy Iyer banned the book in the three southern states of Kochi, Travancore and Malabar. Independent community Kerala Sahitya Academy republished it in 2011.
The Ezhavas of Kerala are not Hindus. They were Budhist followers; a fact well recognised by the pundits. Due to cruel suppressing power of the Hindus and also because of the retreat of Buddhism from all over India, Ezhavas had to shift their faith from Buddhism to Hindusim. Sri Budha's opulence drew them towards India from Srilanka and later when they refused to assimilate into Hindusim ;they were relegated as untouchables. But due to the contact and interaction with hindus around them and succumbing to the pressures of the people around them, later for the sake of material gains ;we imbibed many qualities of the Hindu religion. Though we were drawn into this trap ; we have greater affinity to people of other religions than Hinduism. They(caste Hindus, upper castes) don't have any document/scripture to prove that we are Hindus. We have not been included in Chaturvarna nor can we physically approach the caste Hindus(savarnas). They have assigned us a despicable position in the Hindu fold as "untouchables". They have banishing us from their religion.
Our belief that we are Hindus or our attempts to become Hindu ourselves have been disproved or failed. Our presence doesn't affect the "purity" of a Christian or Muslim. They don't have any problems with our entry into their mosques or churches and moreover they
are inviting us into their religions. But if we try to visit Hindu temples; the priests abandon their rituals midway fearing "pollution" due to our presence there. They don't mind their rituals getting cancelled or abandoned midway ; but our presence is detested! If we go to schools; the caste Hindus quit study and go home. If we travel in roads; they give up their journeys. They boycott everything that has anything to do with us. They use all their strength to prevent us from approaching them in anyway.
Do we need further proof that we are not Hindus? Aren't they forcing us to leave their religion?
Isn't it our foolishness to go to temples when we have been spit on our face for this. When we are ordered to keep within so many feet away from their temple of worship, why should we go to their temples uninvited like dogs? People like this who have been expelled from the Hindus religion have been accepted in Christianity and Islam. The Christians and Muslims of our land are people who embraced their faith due to the atrocities of caste Hindus and that these people have not emigrated from Palestine or Arabia is well known to us. Yes, the majority of Christians and Muslims of today in Kerala are the descendants of the less fortunate among the Hindus. We have this bond with them. We do not have any affinity with the caste Hindus. We were Hindus; this was their objective to enslave us for their benefit, we conceded it. The evil consequences of our consent to be labelled as Hindus is still haunting us today. Come what may; we are not interested to be followers of this alien faith of Hinduism.
(Translated from Malayalam to English by CHANDRAMOHAN .S)
http://utharakalam.com/english/?p=319
www.keralites.net          |
To subscribe send a mail to Keralites-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
Send your posts to Keralites@yahoogroups.com.
Send your suggestions to Keralites-owner@yahoogroups.com.
To unsubscribe send a mail to Keralites-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com.
Homepage: www.keralites.net
No comments:
Post a Comment