The Saint outside the temple

Illustration/Devdutt Pattanaik

Unlike Christian and Islamic devotion, which is about submitting to God's law, Hindu devotion is about participating in the many rituals and ceremonies of the temple that make us part of a deity's world. But while everyone is equal in God's presence as per Christianity and Islam, in Hindu temple rituals there is a hierarchy between the pure and polluted, with the pure allowed to enter the innermost part of the temple, the semi-pure allowed to enter up to a point, and the impure stay outside. Thus, there is tension between the social idea of purity and pollution, and the spiritual idea of connection between the deity and the devotee. Here are five such stories drawing attention to the tension.

Amongst the Tamil Vaishnavas, we hear the story of Thiruppan Alwar in Srirangam temple, a great singer, who is not allowed to reach certain parts of the Kaveri river, which are considered to be sacred where the Brahmins go to bathe. In fact, one Brahmin throws a rock at the singing saint who accidentally comes to the sacred portion of the river. The deity is so upset by this incident that in his dreams, the Brahmin sees the deity bleeding from the head, and the deity demands that the singing saint be carried into the temple.

Amongst Tamil Shaivas, we hear how Nandanar Nayamnar is not allowed to enter the Chidambaram temple until he walks through fire which will purify him. His purified status shows him with Brahmin thread and smeared with ash, indicating shift in caste status, suggesting that the only way to gain access to the temple demands purification. This impurity is not moral or ethical; it is simply ritual. Nandanar's story comes from the Periya Puranam written in the 12th century. Another story informs us that Nandanar was not allowed to cross the temple perimeter and had to see the deity only from outside. The stone Nandi blocked the line of sight. So, Shiva had the stone Nandi moved so everyone outside could get a clear view of the innermost sanctum.

At the famous Tirupati Balaji temple in Seemandhra, as one walks the many steps to the temple, one finds the concrete image of Mala Dassari on the ground prostrating towards Tirupati. He was a leather worker who would make footwear for the travellers, and guard pilgrim footwear while they visited the temple, but he himself could not enter the temple.

In Maharashtra in Pandharpur temple, we hear of Chokhamela, who was not allowed to enter the temple. He is buried outside the temple and they say that his bones still rattle as he chants the name of Vithal hoping to get a glimpse of the deity.

In Udupi Karnataka, we hear of Kanakadasa, the shepherd was not allowed into the temple. He would sit behind the temple and sing praises to the presiding deity, Krishna. Eager to see his devotee, the icon of Krishna turned around and a crack appeared in the temple wall. Thus the deity enabled what the priests had forbidden.

In Odisha, even today when one enters the main Jagannatha temple at the entrance, one finds a replica of the deity and it is called the Patitapaban shrine, the shrine for the outcaste who are not allowed to enter the temple. Its presence is a reminder of India's social realities.

The author writes and lectures on the relevance of mythology in modern times. Reach him at devdutt.pattanaik@mid-day.com