The Hindu : Kerala News : Duryodhana presides over Dalit temple

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Kerala

Duryodhana presides over Dalit temple

Offerings for
the deity, known
as Malanada Appooppan, include toddy, arrack
and chicken

Thiruvananthapuram: As strange are the ways of faith and worship, Duryodhana, the anti-hero of the Mahabharata, is the presiding deity of a temple in Kollam which is drawing devotees from the entire Hindu fold despite it being a Dalit shrine originally.

Though the temple has over the years adopted many of the mainstream Hindu customs, the pujas and rituals are still performed by the members of the Dalit Kurava community and the offerings to the Lord include toddy, arrack and chicken, retaining the tribal touch.

Set in a sprawling compound against the sylvan backdrop of coconut groves and paddy fields, the Poruvazhi Malanada temple has a mix of legends, lores and folk tales and even history woven around it.

The traditional heirs of the shrine believe that the place was hallowed by the visit of Duryodhana, revered by them as Malanada Appooppan – the lord of the hills.

A historical process

“This could originally have been a place where the Kurava tribe used to worship their ancestors. Later on, the shrine could have acquired some religious legitimacy and became acceptable to the entire local community. There are several such temples that have undergone this kind of historical process,” M.G. Sasibhooshan, an authority on Kerala temples, said here. – PTI

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