The Tamil Nadu Village that Denies Dalits Access to Common Road for Funeral Processions

Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu - Around 45 kilometers from Tiruvannamalai, in Mothakkal village, on Monday, a section of caste Hindus objected to the funeral procession of a Dalit woman. The Dalit community had decided to take the body through the village’s main road due to the poor condition of their traditional route.

According to information, 70-year-old S. Kiliambal passed away at her daughter’s house in the Dalit colony on Sunday evening due to age-related illnesses. Traditionally, caste Hindus and Dalits have been using separate routes for funeral processions. The Dalit burial ground is located on the outskirts of the village, and to reach it, they must go through a muddy path.

"The usual path that Dalits use had become even worse with overgrown bushes and uneven surfaces. Authorities have not repaired it for many years. So, we decided to take the funeral procession on the route used by caste Hindus", a member of the Bahujan community told local media. It is also reported that the path had been encroached upon by some individuals, making it difficult to use.

The police stated that the Dalits had decided to hold the funeral procession on the village’s main road around 4 p.m., but caste Hindus objected to it. Upon receiving information from panchayat officials, a police team rushed to the village to prevent any untoward incidents.

Led by R. Mandakini, Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) of Tiruvannamalai, a revenue team organized peace talks between the caste Hindus and Dalits in the village. After nearly five hours of discussions, the Dalits agreed to use their traditional route. The path used by Dalits was leveled, and the woman’s funeral was conducted on Monday night.

Mothakkal is a border village connecting Tiruvannamalai to Dharmapuri district. It falls under the Thandrampattu Panchayat Union. Most caste Hindus in the village are landlords, and Dalits have been working as agricultural laborers on their lands for years.

CPI(M) worker R. Annamalai told the media, "Caste-based discrimination is common in this village. In the past, Dalits were not allowed to get haircuts at salons visited by caste Hindus. The village has also witnessed the two-tumbler system (where different cups are used for Dalits and caste Hindus)."

Following this incident, district administration and police officials will organize a series of peace talks between the two communities to end caste-based discrimination. Residents reported that Dalits were not allowed to stand under the shade of trees near small shops run by caste Hindus while waiting for government buses. Instead, they were asked to wait in the sun.

Collector D. Bhaskara Pandian said that the issue of caste discrimination in the village would be investigated.

Dalit rights activist and writer Shalin Maria Lawrence mentioned that over 500 eligible voters from the Adi Dravidar community in Mothakkal village had warned to boycott the Lok Sabha elections. The Dalit community has been struggling for years due to a lack of basic facilities and caste-based discrimination.

The community does not have access to a proper road to reach the burial ground. The community has also faced discrimination from many caste Hindus and the panchayat president.

A villager said, "For years, we have been forced to use a separate path to reach the burial ground, and the caste Hindus of our village do not allow us to pass through, making us fearful."

To express their collective dissatisfaction, the villagers had hoisted black flags at the village entrance and in front of nearly 200 houses before the Lok Sabha elections. The villagers had also submitted a petition to the district collector detailing their demands and grievances.