Chennai: As an image of PM Narendra Modi with the sengol held between his clasped fingers coming into the brand new Parliament went viral, viewers will recall {that a} row of seers precede him. Many pontiffs in that row in addition to subsequent to him are the heads of 20 Adheenams from Tamil Nadu.
These heads of Shaivite mutts from Tamil Nadu had been invited particularly for the event, which the Modi authorities has sought to painting as a re-enactment of the historic second when the ability was transferred from the Britishers to the Indians.
So, who’re the Adheenams and what’s the significance of their presence on the occasion?
However, the BJP’s declare that the 28 Might occasion was the reclaiming of forgotten historical past, political analysts in Tamil Nadu have debunked the reason to explain it as ‘delicate Hindutva,’ particularly given how the Adheenams are seen because the protectors of the Hindu heritage in Tamil Nadu.
These non-Brahmin Shaivite monastic mutts had been saved in verify traditionally by Dravidian events — extra importantly, the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu — with their atheist ideology, the analysts added.
“The Adheenams usually are not as highly effective because the mutts of Karnataka. They did have affect, however then Tamil Nadu moved away into the Dravidian mannequin of politics the place there have been actions away from temples. Their relevance was misplaced for a very long time,” political strategist and writer of ‘No Reference Level’, J.V.C Sreeram instructed ThePrint.
In the meantime, Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam, Ambalavana Desika Paramacharya Swami has come out to say that the Adheenam has data to indicate sengol was certainly used to symbolise switch of energy.
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Adheenams of Tamil Nadu
The Adheenams are non-Brahmin Shaivite monastic mutts who principally observe the teachings of Sidanta Shaivam laid down by thirteenth century thinker and theologian Meykandar in 1229. “There’s a reference of the composition ‘Sivajnanabodham’ from the thirteenth century and an inscription on the identical has been present in Tiruvannamalai,” S. Ramachandran, retired epigraphist, Tamil Nadu archeological division, instructed ThePrint.
Within the current day Tamil Nadu, there are 20 principal Adheenams, with every having its personal distinct caste and regional as per its geographical location. The Adheenams are represented by members of the Saiva Vellalar “who’re elite, educated, landowning farmers who’re a politically highly effective caste,” Ramachandran added.
The Adheenakarthar, or the chief pontiff, belongs to the neighborhood which has a dominant presence within the respective areas, he added.
For instance, the Saiva Vellalars Pillais and Mudaliars head the Adheenams within the south, the Saiva Vellar Gounder within the western belt, and the Chettiyar neighborhood within the Chettinad area of Tamil Nadu.
The Adheenams have properties value lots of of crores and are concerned within the administration of centuries-old temples throughout the state. “In contrast to the Lingayat, the Kurba, and the Vokkaliga in Karnataka who’ve affect over the voters, the Adheenams in Tamil Nadu don’t wield that form of an affect among the many public,” political researcher Raveenthran Duraisamy instructed ThePrint.
The analysts highlighted that the prominence of the Adheenams began to decrease with the affect of Dravidianism even because the “ideological base for Dravidam was laid out by Adheenam.”
To propagate Dravidam over the Aryan interval, the Adheenams preserved palm leaves with scriptures of Tamil writings and guarded Tamil tradition and heritage.
In its 2023-2024 coverage be aware on Hindu Spiritual & Charitable Endowments Division (HR&CE), the Tamil Nadu authorities credited these Adheenams in addition to mutts for its “invaluable” contribution to the event of the Tamil language.
“The mutts have diligently preserved Tamil palm leaf manuscripts enabling generations to learn and luxuriate in Sangam Literature. The Mutts additional play an vital position in preserving the heritage of the spiritual neighborhood by preserving palm leaves which maintain the tenets of the oldest language on this planet — Tamil,” the coverage be aware added.
Delicate Hindutva being performed out in Tamil Nadu?
In 1971, the Karunanidhi authorities led to an modification to the HR&CE laws. “All of the mutts had been introduced underneath the auditing of the HR&CE division. If there are discrepancies within the accounting, motion to even take away the chief pontiff was made,” Ramachandran mentioned.
The modification in a method clipped the wings of the Adheenams who understood that they might not cross the DMK authorities, political strategist Sreeram mentioned. “That is additionally a purpose why among the Adheenams supported the DMK in order to be in its good books.”
Because the Adheenams retained their position of temple directors, neither All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) supremo Jayalalithaa nor Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president Karunanidhi who had been two dominant political gamers within the state engaged with them, Sreeram mentioned.
Even the brand new gamers like Vijayakant of Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) didn’t interact with them.
However within the shut to 2 years that Ok. Annamalai has taken over because the BJP state president, there was a change in the best way the Adheenams are being approached. “For the primary time, there’s an engagement and a delicate Hindutva is being performed out by BJP,” Sreeram added.
The BJP had been saved at bay on account of three main perceptions, he mentioned, referring to the notion of it being a Hindi occasion in flip anti-Tamil, a North Indian occasion and a Brahmanical occasion.
Regardless of logging simply over 2 p.c vote share within the 2021 state polls and having 4 MLAs solely, the BJP continues to be trying to make inroads in Tamil Nadu.
In Might 2022, the M.Ok. Stalin-led DMK authorities banned the ‘Pattina Pravesam’ — a ritual the place the mutt head is carried by devotees and disciples in a palanquin — of the Dharmapuram Adheenam.
“Annamalai got here ahead and fought for that, and the ban was ultimately lifted. This transfer had a great resonance among the many plenty,” Sreeram mentioned.
Bringing the relevance to the sengol and the Adheenams can be a robust message to the those that Tamil custom is valued by BJP in contrast to by the Dravidian events particularly the DMK, and, moreover, the BJP’s picture of a Brahmanical occasion can even be shed by its affiliation to the non-Brahmanical mutts, the analysts asserted.
“The BJP will attempt to win over the assist of the Adheenams which may convey it the assist of the communities that are related to the Adheenams,” Duraisamy asserted.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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