By IANS
Chennai : In a politically shrewd move Wednesday, the DMK government released over 50 persons arrested Sunday during caste clashes in the famous Nataraja temple in Chidambaram 300 km south of here.
Following the release, the priests allowed non-Brahmins to sing Tamil hymns in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.
These measures were a follow up to a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi during which a decision to set free all those arrested was taken.
“As the situation was amicable in the temple, it was decided to release those who were in custody for the past three days,” a government communiqué said.
Upper caste priests called “Podu Dikshitars” controlling the 2,000-year-old Shiva temple clashed Sunday with non-Brahmin devotees who wished to sing Tamil hymns while offering worship. On Wednesday, they softened their stand and began allowing the practice.
The Dikshitar clan consisting of 190 Brahmin priests have been insisting on Sanskrit being the medium for worship in the Nataraja shrine, claiming it to be the tradition.
After Sunday’s incident, the priests washed the sanctum sanctorum of the temple to “purify it”, claiming that it had been “polluted” by the entry of non-Brahmin devotees and policemen whose sported upper garments – banned in the temple.
This angered political parties like the Pattali Makkal Katchi, with its leader S. Ramadoss demanding “the most severe punishment” for the priests.
Other allies of the ruling DMK – comprising the left and Dalit outfits and human rights organisations – also joined the chorus demanding action against the orthodox priests.
Chief Minister Karunanidhi had warned the Chidambaram priests against prevention of popular and personal expressions during worship.
This fetched rich dividends for the DMK as its move was accorded political support across the board.
As a consequence, on Wednesday the priests allowed 50 persons from various other castes to pray as preferred.
Dhanvantari Dikshitar, the spokesman of the priests, later told the media: “We believe in God and we rely on him. Everyone should cooperate with us”.