Left Right hand caste conflict in Thiruvotriyur temple in 1757

September 24, 2017

Left Right hand caste conflict in Thiruvotriyur temple:

Thiruvotriyur Thiagarajaswami Temple which is more than 1400 year old temple had also its share of Caste conflicts between the Right and Left hand castes. Thiruvotriyur came under British control in 1708. The land was farm out to Thambu Chetti one of the richest Beri Chetty merchant of left hand caste. After the fall of his commercial empire Lingi Chetty a trader in bullion who managed the company Mint took charge of the farm in 1741. As was the order of those days he was made the Dharmakartha of the temple in 1754 and after his death in 1757 his son Tepperumal Chetty became Dharmakartha. The Right hand castes were not able to digest the control of one of the biggest temple of Madras by Left hand Beri Chetties. They had the right to only worship in the temple. One day they beat up the temple servant, forced the musicians to pay a fine and stationed themselves on the road outside to ill treat the left. The Right hand caste were led by Kondaikatti Vellalars who considered themselves the highest and proudest of the Vellalar Caste. The Left hand caste led by Tepperumal Chetty complained to the East India Company The Governors Dubash Tellasingha Pillai persuaded the Left to discuss the matter. When they came to Madras their Palanquin were snached away by right hand mob who also assaulted the Palanquin boys. The Right hand castes when called to the Fort st George by EIC went to Fort with lot of fun fare including Tomtom to show their superiority which more than irked the Left Hand caste persons. The EIC intervened and declared that each caste has its right to perform it's ceremonies according to their custom and the Black town was common to all and all should conform to rules. The leaders of each caste should identify the offenders. The peace brokered was however short lived.

Source: The View from Below