Kummanam Rajasekharan

We Hindus are one

Swami Chinmayananda, who came to Kottayam for Geetajnanayajna, stayed in a private company's guest house at Chingavanam. Young Kummanam Rajasekharan and monk Vedananda Saraswati were with him to assist. They were at the helm of affairs to make the program a success. Everything, including a chariot ride for the Swamiji and welcome reception in the city by various Hindu organizations, were finalised and arranged. All organisations including the NSS at Tirunakkara, the SNDP at Nagampadam, the Brahmana Sabha and the Vishwakarma Mahasabha agreed to welcome the Swamiji. On the eve of the program, the Swamiji curtly said, "I do not want any reception from any caste organization and will not participate in any of their programs. Let all of them come to Gita Jnanayajna” and retired to bed. The organisers panicked and wrung their hands. Everything was arranged with the help of various influential organizations. If the reception does not take place as planned, the success of the Yajna will be adversely affected.

Chinmayananda Swami would get up before three in the morning. Kummanam and Swami Vedananda Saraswati decided to express their grievance as soon as he woke up. As soon as Swamiji woke up, both of them fell at his feet and told him their predicament.“There is no hatred towards caste organizations. I said I will not participate in their separate programs because Hindus cannot not be saved if they stay divided. They should stand together in unity. Instead of separate receptions, a single reception should be given by all of them together. But as it may, since you have arranged everything in advance, I will come and participate.” These words of Swami Chinmayananda not only brought comfort to Kummanam's mind, but also sowed the seeds of efforts towards Hindu unity. This is how Kummanam, who was the driving force behind the multi-level organisational unity efforts, says about.

“The Hindu Coordination Committee was formed in the 1980s as part of the protests and response in the Hindu community in general towards the corruption and mismanagement of the administration of Guruvayur temple. The coordination committee raised the demand that temples should be depoliticized and good governance ensured with the representation of devotees. In April 1982, Hindu unity was strengthened when many Hindu organizations participated in the Vishala Hindu Sammelanam. All the 27 Hindu organizations which were mobilized in the Action Council formed during the Nilakkal agitation were lined up. The success of the Nilakkal agitation paved the way for the formation of the Hindu Munnani (Hindu Front). I was the General Convener of the Front formed with Shri A. R. Srinivasan as Chairman. The Hindu Munnani worked on the basis of Swami Chinmayananda's words that permanent solution to the problems faced by the Hindus is the Hindu vote-bank. The Hindu Munnani candidates won 6 seats in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Council in local elections. In the 1987 assembly elections, the Hindu Munnani fielded candidates in five constituencies and got a fair share of votes.”

“On July 15, 1992, communal riots took place in Poonthura, a coastal village in Thiruvananthapuram. Five people were killed in the riots led by ISS formed by Ma’adani. The agitation to ensure social justice for the 87 fishermen who lost everything was strengthened. The demand of the agitation was to build houses for them as well as to conduct a judicial inquiry. After visiting the spot with Swami Satyananda Saraswati, a meeting was held in Thiruvananthapuram with the participation from various Hindu organizations and Hindu Aikyavedi was formed. I was in charge as the General Convener of Hindu Aikyavedi led by the Swami and Shri J. Sishupalji. The fishermen were compensated and a commission was constituted to investigate. The agitation was a success. Subsequently, Hindu Aikyavedi became a state-level organization. I worked also as General Secretary. The camp for training Hindu missionaries was a great step. 105 people participated in the 25-day camp. Later, Hindu Aikyavedi led many small and big agitations. Up to 125 Hindu organizations were able to participate in the social harmony meeting organized by the Aikyavedi.”

Elavoor Thookkam--Social change through awareness

The Elavoorhuman suspension is a corporal suspension held at the Elavoor Puthankavu SreeBhagavathy temple in Ernakulam district. Until some time ago, regular suspensionused to occur there as a ritual.

Such rituals are based on the concept of ancient bloody sacrifice practices. Because the hook used to suspend the human body was inserted into the skin, it was a cruel torture and the devotees started arguing its pros and cons. Soon, it became a law-and-order issue when the debated became heated and popular opinion became equally divided. It was made possible to get rid of the uncivilised ritual without conflict and with everyone's support. Elavoor suspension was banned in 1987.

What KummanamRajasekaran, who believes that "practical lessons cannot be learntfrom books, nor by listening to speeches.Such public lessons can only be learned through experience”learnt through the Elavoor suspension incident was that social change must happen through awareness. That lesson served as a guide for his later struggles. Kummanam tells us a story from his experience:

“Swami Bhumananda and several organizations came up with agitation programs against the Elavur suspension offering. One section of the public was for it, another, against it. Both the sections are devotees. Even the Sangh Swayamsevaks, when contactedwere evenly divided in their opinion. As the day of the suspension-ritual approached, the entire temple locality was in conflict. Anything could have happened. The Collector called a discussion at the Guest House at Angamali. Intense anxiety and confusion prevailed about what position would be taken.”

“The matter was discussed with Shri P. Madhavji, who was an authority on temple rituals. Both of us met the Tantri and the templeDevaswom administrators. A meeting of all the volunteers were called. Madhavji addressed the volunteers who were disturbed by the prevailing infighting and confusion.”

“There is no justification in demanding that a practice that has been going on for many years should be abandoned all of a sudden.Outdated customs must give way to social reforms. But the people need to get convinced. Therefore, it is appropriate to decide that the suspension-ritual should take place this year.'' There were those who did not agree with Madhavji's opinion. Long discussions and debates continued after the meeting.”

“The collector's discussion was to take place the next day at the Guest House at Angamali. Before attending it, I once again met the representatives of local devotees.I explained to them once again that since we had not done been able to create awareness amongst the local public, they should agree to conduct the suspension-ritual that year.”

“The same stand was taken in the discussion with the collector also. Thus the suspension ritual offering, which had created a stir, took place with the support of a large crowd.”

“Next day onwards, programs were organized to create awareness amongst the people as well as to awaken the public conscience. Family meetings were organized in all the wards. Devaprasnam was performed in front of the temple.Madhavji explained with sound reasoning to the assembled people that there was no need for suspension-ritual offering.The assembled public was ready for the change and reform.”

“The agitation against Ilavoor weight conveyed the great message that social reform should be implemented by garnering the favourable support of mass opinion. That reform is not something that can be imposed and changed through force was the lesson that Madhavji imparted through reforming this ritual.”

Recovering Temple Property-1

In connection with the Milad-un-Nabi of 1985 a conference and a three-day Mappila Song Fairwas arranged at Puthiyakavu temple grounds at Karunagappalli. The police directed not to operate the microphones within the temple premises during the duration. The police themselves removed all the mic sets. As the devotees mobilised under Kerala KshetraSamrakshana Samitiand organized protests, the organizers of the Milad-un-Nabi celebrations had to withdraw from the temple grounds.

In 1986, again with the support of the government, the Jama-at decided to hold the Milad-un-Nabiconference at Puthiyakavu temple grounds. The Kerala KshetraSamrakshana Samiti joined forces with other Hindu organizations to form the PuthiyakavuKshetra Karma Samiti and started the agitation. The government declared a state of ban in the temple grounds. Puja and other temple rituals were stopped and freedom of worship was denied to the Hindus.In order to restore the right to freedom of Hindu worship, various temple devotee associations and sannyasis started chanting in protest within the temple-porch (pattambalam) under the leadership of KummanamRajasekaran, the then leader of the United Hindu Front. The strike lasted for six months. Aspart of the Puthiyakavu temple agitation an action committee was formed at state level with Kummanam as its general convener.

To protect right to freedom of worship, every day a namajapa was held in the temple grounds under the banner of the Mothers’ Committee (Mathru Samiti) and courted arrest. At the end of the month, Kummanam made a clarion call to devotees from different parts of the stateto gather there on a Makarasamkrama day to light the lamp and court non-bailable arrest. Realizing that the call was accepted by the devotees, the government withdrew the ban.

Subsequently, several cases were filed in the name of organisational leaders and devotees and charged accusations at them without any rhyme or reason. Certain individuals also came forward claiming title to the temple property. After constant legal battles, the devotees proved that the cases had no merit.

Kummanam's sweat is behind the renovationof the dilapidatedTirunakkara Sri Krishnaswamy Temple, Kottayam and the Pavakulam Devi Temple, Ernakulam. It is his hand that resisted the move to encroach and occupy the ShankhumukhamArattukadavuunder the pretenseof the Pope's visit. The force behind the creation of the auspicious Sri Rama temple upon theJatayuppara in Chadayamangalamalso is none other.

Recovering Temple Property-2

Many popular efforts have been made to recover the temple property that have been encroached. The struggle led by Kummanam against the seizure of coins by the state government, found at the foot of the flagpole of the Vaikom temple and that against encroachment of the property of the Puthiyakavu temple, Karunagappalli, have fuelled the fighting spirit of the Hindus in Kerala.

When Shri R. Balakrishna Pillai visited Vaikom temple when he was the Minister for Archaeological Department. He noticed the signboard regarding installation of flagpolefixed on the pillar of elephant’s-house (aanakkottil).The manager explained to the minister that the existing flagpole would be uprooted and a new one would be installed. After hearing everything attentively, the minister left, directing that he should be informed about the uprooting of the flagpole whenever it is done.

When the flagpole was uprooted, ancient coins and metal objects surfaced. The manager informed this to the minister immediately. The minister ordered all the antiquities found to handed over to the government. Officials reached the temple and took all the items into custody.

The devotees objected under the leadership of Kummanam stating that the property of the temple belonged to the temple and that a secular government had no right to it.The minister asserted that the government would take over all antiquities wherever found. Hindu Aikyavedi started an agitation demanding that reinstallation of flagpole should not be held without returning the artefacts recovered from under the flagpole. The police registered a case against the devotees who staged asatyagraha in front of the temple tower.

The devotees did not retreat.Nama-japa processions, shayana-pradakshina and bhajans were held all over the state in protest. Such became the situation that there would not be a flagpole in place for conducting the annual temple festival. An areca palm trunk was planted instead of the flagpole and the deity’s flag was raised. Thus the festival took place. The President of the Devaswom Board,Shri N. BhaskaranNair's also stood in support of the government’s stand. The devotees strongly believed that the Vaikom temple lost its due to the conspiracy hatched by both the Board and the government.

The agitation intensified day by day.A discussion was held between the Devaswom Board and the Minister, R. Balakrishna Pillai. Several conferences were held. The Hindus were not ready for any compromise. Finally the government and the Board yielded to the firm stand of the United Front (Hindu Aikyavedi) that they will not stop the agitation till all the property taken from under the flagpole are returned.

The issue was resolved. The stage was set for reinstallation of the temple flagpole. A large crowd witnessed the ceremony in which all the antiquities seized by the government were returned and deposited at the foot of the new flagpole.Thus ended another legendary popular uprising.

For dharma to bloom in the Sivagiri hill

Sivagiri has always been the spiritual capital of all Sri Narayana movements. This Samadhi-bhumi of Gurudeva is also the headquarters of Sree Narayana Dharma Sangam Trust. When Swami Saswatheekananda had been heading the Sivagiri Mutt, it became a bed of unrest. The vicious circle around the abbot became active at that time. There is no accounting for the atrocities and financial irregularities that took place in the Mutt.

A number of swamis and neutral Sri Narayaneeyas came forward under the leadership of the sattvik Swami Prakashananda, against this. In the subsequent elections held in June 1994, Saswatheekananda suffered an unexpected setback. The panel led by Swami Prakashananda won majority. Intoxicated with power, Swami Saswatheekananda refused to accept defeat. When the new governing body came to take over, he lined up goons and followers of Ma’adani declaring that he would neither allow them entry nor allow them to leave the monastery. Saswatheekananda had been the head of the monastery for 17 years. He held elections in December with the participation of his coterie full of his favorite monks and announced that he has become the President again.

The court cancelled that election and directed the Home Department to hand over power to Prakashananda. Swami Saswatheekananda reached the point where he would be ousted from Sivagiri. It was unimaginable to him. It was during this critical point in time that Ma’adani and the workers of Popular Democratic Party entered Sivagiri. With the declaration that 'Sivagiri will not be allowed to become another Ayodhya', Ma’adani made provocative speeches at Sivagiri. Thus began a conspiracy to destroy Sivagiri. The assailants were evacuated through police action.

Afterwards, when the Left Democratic Front government came to power Swami Prakashananda’s administration was expelled and an Administrator was installed. Fresh election was conducted under the leadership of the advisory committee and Saswatikananda's party won all the seats. The Supreme Court did not accept results of the election conducted after disqualification of 18 Swamis. In October 2006, elections were held again and Swami Prakashananda came to power by winning all the seats.

When the government and some terroristic organisations joined hands to weaken Sivagiri, the karmabhumi and Samadhi spot of Sri Narayana Guru, Kummanam was there to provide fuel to the resistance. He was also the leader of the organising committee formed for the successful conduct of Swami Prakashananda's legendary hunger strike carried out for the protection of Sivagiri. It was decided to go on an indefinite fast to open the eyes of the government. Fasting started at the doorstep of the Secretariat. The rulers assumed that the strike would wither away after a few days. But as the days passed, Swami Prakashananda was seemed with increased vigour. Even on the 30th day, Swamiji was not found to he having any fatigue. The police came several times and tried to take him away. It was a great event when Kerala declared solidarity with Swamiji by closing shops, quitting jobs and participating in protests without any clarion call. Even then the then Chief Minister, Shri E.K. Nayanar did not have show the decency to ask why a monk was lying on the footsteps of the Secretariat. At midnight on the 31st day, the police forcefully arrested Swamiji and took him to the hospital.

He continued his satyagraha in the hospital too. Swami could not give a clear reply to the question of those close to him as to why he would lose his life by fasting in front of a government that has no decency or humanity. Thus, according to everyone's loving request, he broke his fast.

It was decided to organize a tour to explain these things to the public. Kummanam, traveled from Kasaragod and addressed the people through the villages and towns in 14 districts, along with the Sannyasis of Sivagiri Mutt. He was in the forefront to provide enthusiasm, confidence and self-respect to the monks. At last, truth, dharma and justice won at Sivagiri.

Kummanam had also been the driving force behind the recognition by the central government of the pilgrim circuit associated with Sree Narayana Guru. The officials of the Sree Narayana Dharma Sangam Trust openly admitted that the Sivagiri Pilgrimage Circuit would not have manifested without Kummanam. It was also the result of the struggle under the leadership of Sree Narayana Dharma Samanwaya Samithi against a government and community leaders, liqour barons, political opportunists, newspaper editors and hypocrites who supported when it tried to eat into Sivagiri and its institutions, where the essence of Sri Narayana Guru pervades.

Kummanam's role is explained in a book written by the Chairman of Sree Narayana Dharma Samanvaya Samithi and former PRD director, Thottam Rajasekharan, on the Sivagiri struggle.

“The condition of the five monks who were detained and lodged in jail for preventing the arrest of Swami Prakashananda in front of the Secretariat was pathetic. The volunteers of Vishwa Hindu Parishad were angry at the persecution of the monks. So Kummanam Rajasekharan and I went to the Central Jail. The poor monks were released after a long wait and our talking to the higher officers. Kummanam Rajasekharan, the secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, was actively engaged in the arena.”

“A self-possessed leader, though who occasionally is prone to outbursts, Kummanam, while he was working as a government employee, became a public activist after being attracted by RSS philosophy and discipline. I knew him when he was working as a journalist. He had mastered the ability to write news in a simple, clear and concise manner. He also practiced to analyze ideas with clarity and logic and deliver a heartfelt speech. Even while criticising others, he adopts an apathetic approach. No matter how thorny and complex the issue, he intervenes in public discussions with perfect poise and dignity and guides the audience to appropriate decisions. All RSS-Vishva Hindu Parishad activists in Kerala respect and love him. Having been closely associated with him for three or four years, I have never had to come across an ideological difference of opinion between us. But Kummanam never rests. Comrades see this sattvik, monk-like personality who toils in fields of action, is seen as a Hindutva fascist.”, wrote Thottam Rajasekharan.

Temple entry at Palazhy

If you ask Kummanam, who has several such activities to his credit that have brought about social change, about the one event that defines him, it will be difficult to answer. There is no doubt that the temple entry agitation in Palazhi is in the forefront of such. About that Kummanam says:

“In 1986, Parameshwarji asked to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Temple Entry Proclamation and Shishupalji and I were entrusted withits state-wide organizing.”

“We travelled the length and width of the state. The travels were aimed to find the birthplaces of all the heroes and reformers of the social revolution as well as to organize ceremonies to honour the living ones. Programmes was organized at all places which witnessed popular movements in support of the Temple Entry agitation, such as Vaikom, Guruvayur, Payyannur, Kannamangalam, etc.”

“Speaker V.M. Sudheeranwas invited to inaugurate the Golden Jubilee celebrations. He accepted the invitation.Preparations for a grand conference at Mavelikkarawere also complete. The procession started from the Kannamangalam home precincts of T.K. Madhavan, who was the supreme leader of the Temple Entry movement, where hewas laid to rest. The Temple Entry Memorial procession was started from the Kannamangalam homestead where Madhavan was laid to rest. All along the way, there was a rousing welcome andtemporary welcome-arches were erected in memorial to Mannathu Padmanabhan, A.K. Gopalan, KururNeelkandanNamboothiripad etc.”

“Just a few minutes before the meeting to begin, the Speaker (Sudheeran) informed me that it was difficult for him to attend. Soon Swami SatyanandaSaraswatiwas decided for inauguration. Throughout his speech, the Swami openly denounced the pseudo-reformists and verbose-revolutionaries. He clarified that supporters of untouchability harbour grudge and hatred even on the eve of Golden Jubilee of Temple Entry.”

“Immediately after this, an agitation for temple entry was started at the Thrissur PalazhiAyyappa temple. Lower caste persons were neither allowed entry into the temple, nor allowed to make offerings there.The owner of the temple, one Krishna Warrier, disallowed entry for them into temple using various pretexts.”

“The agitation intensified. Swami VedanandaSaraswati inaugurated the satyagraha at the temple doorstep. KrishnaWarrier shouted that others will have to face dire consequences if they dared to enter. The police came to the scene. A mass rally held at the gates of the districtcollectorate, which was inaugurated by retired Judge Shri A.R. Srinivasan. People from all over the state participated. The district collector intervened. He had to give in to the protestors' demand that or prosecutionaction should be initiated against the illegal untouchability. A notice was given to the temple-owner. An official announcement was made that everyone was free to enter and make offerings. Thus the satyagrahabecame successful.”