Dalits enter temple in Karnataka's Mandya for first time, furious villagers remove idol: Report

A group of villagers in Mandya, opposing the entry of Dalits into Kalabhairaveshwara Swamy Temple, responded by moving the Utsava Murthi.

Tensions erupted in Hanakere village, Mandya district, 100 km from Bengaluru, over Dalits' entry into a historic temple on Sunday.

Dalits were granted permission to enter the temple, which falls under the management of the state endowment department. (Representational Image)

A group of villagers, opposing the entry of Dalits into Kalabhairaveshwara Swamy Temple, responded by moving the Utsava Murthi (the deities carried in procession during major temple festivals) to a secure area within the temple grounds, Times of India reported.

According to the report, Dalits in the village were granted permission to enter the temple, which falls under the management of the state endowment department, after extensive discussions involving local government officials and police officers.

These talks, held in Hanakere, 13 km from Mandya town, were aimed at addressing long-standing issues of exclusion and ensuring inclusive access to the temple.

‘Separate temple for Dalits’

Some villagers, referencing the temple’s centuries-old traditions, expressed resistance, claiming that a separate temple had already been built for Dalits within the village, the TOI report added.

The villagers cited both tradition and their own financial contributions toward the temple’s recent renovation, led by former Congress MLA M Srinivas, as reasons for their opposition.

Angered by the decision to allow Dalit entry, a few villagers transferred the Utsava Murthi to a separate chamber within the temple, leading to a brief shutdown of the premises around noon.

After a short closure, temple doors were reopened, and rituals resumed as scheduled, with devotees from all castes being permitted entry.

As reported by TOI, police personnel were stationed in the village to maintain peace and order.