Dalits rolling in Brahmin leftovers to end soon

KASARGOD: An obnoxious ritual prevailing in the Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, in which the people of the district also participate, is soon to end. The BJP Government in Karnataka has decided to ban the tradition of rolling over the leftovers of Brahmins, which is held at Subramanya temples in connection with the annual ‘Shasti’ festival. Since Kasargod was once part of the Dakshina Kannada district, people - especially Dalits -- from the area used to participate in the ritual, known as ‘Made Made Snana’. ‘Made’ in Tulu means leftovers, and ‘Snana’ means bath. The real meaning of the words is to take bath in the leftovers. As part of the Shasti festival, Brahmins would be served food on plantain leaves and when they are finished, people would roll over the leftovers. The Dalits here still participate in the 500-year old ritual, and the belief is that it will cure skin diseases. “There would be a scramble to get space to roll on the leftovers,” said one of them, who used to participate in the rite in Kukke Subramanya Temple in Sullia.The ritual was held in the Talakklayi Subramanya Temple in Cherkala decades ago, but after the formation of the state, the first communist government banned the practice since it was against the progressive ideas and also lowered the status of the Dalits. It is performed in all Subramanya temples in Dakshina Kannada district. However, last year’s Shasti festival in the Kukke Subramanya Temple hit the headlines as Dalit organisations protested against the ritual, terming it ‘ignominious and shameful’.As pressure mounted on the BJP-led government, a decision was taken to ban ‘Made Made Snana’. However, according to Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, the final decision would be taken after consulting religious leaders and seers. A consensus on banning the ritual was reached at a meeting held in Bangalore which was attended by pontiffs and mutt chiefs. The decision was taken on the basis of a report submitted by a team from the Ambedkar Research Centre, which witnessed the ritual in Kukke Subramanya Temple last year.