A Hindu temple in Kerala’s Kannur has removed a board that banned the entry of Muslims into the premises during festivals.
In recent years, authorities at the Sree Malliyottu Palottu Kavu temple in Kannur district’s Kunhimangalam had come under heavy criticism over boards announcing the ban on entry of Muslims there.
Ban on entry of Muslims in place for decades
The board at Palottukavu was placed on behalf of the Naloori Samudayis, the committee which conducts the annual festival.
However, temple officials had said that the ban on entry of Muslims at the temple had been in place for decades.
According to them, there were some clashes between the two communities during a festival some decades ago, after which the board was placed.
They said that the recent controversy erupted after printouts replaced the original board that became unreadable.
Temple famous for its Theyyam
The temple is renowned for its Theyyam, a ritual intertwined with local folklore and revered by both Hindus and Muslims.
The annual festival at the temple is celebrated over a week in April.
Temple authorities decide to end the ban
After coming under criticism in the past few years, the temple authorities decided to end the ban last week.
Many locals and stakeholders in the festival had argued that the ban was against the spirit of the celebrations and pointed out the attempts by some groups to communalise it.
Boycott of Muslim traders in Karnataka temples
The board banning the entry of Muslims had first surfaced on social media at a time when similar incidents in neighbouring Karnataka had caused outrage.
In 2020, several Hindu temples in Karnataka banned Muslim traders from setting up stalls during festivals and fairs.
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The Karnataka government had also defended the ban and said that no people other than Hindus could be allowed inside temple premises during fairs and holy occasions.
According to the Hindu Religious Institutions And Charitable Endowments Act 2002, it is prohibited to lease out the space near a Hindu religious institution to a person of another faith.
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