Supreme Court stays ’Made Snana’ ritual

 

Dec 12, 2014, (Agencies): The Supreme Court today passed a stay order on the ’Made Snana’ ritual that was earlier allowed by the Karnataka High Court.

 

While the defendants’ lawyer argued that ’Made Snana’ is an age old practise and it should be allowed, SC dismissed the argument citing that untouchability is also an age old tradition and we must not encourage it.

 

Stay on the controversial ’Made Snana’ ritual came following the Tribal Welfare Association’s petition against the Karnataka High Court order.

 

Earlier, the Karnataka High Court had passed an interim order allowing the practise of the ritual in its traditional form at Kukke Sri Subrahmanya temple in Dakshina Kannada district.

 

This came in the wake of a review petition by Adivasi Budakattu Hitarakshana Vedike which sought a stay on the 2012 High Court order.

 

The division bench comprised of Justices N Kumar and B V Nagarathna.

 

Later, following a petition by Veerabhadra Chennamalla Swamiji and several progressive thinkers, the HC allowed the modification of the practise.

 

As per the modified ritual, the lower caste people had to roll on the food offered to the deity and not the food left over by the Brahmins.

 

The High court had also observed that the ritual was being followed since ages and was not forced upon anyone.