Kannur temple priest suspended over daughter’s inter-caste marriage, committee says he flouted customs

Kannur: A temple ritual assistant employed at Muchilott Bhagavathy Temple in Kannur, which functions under the Malabar Devaswom Board, has alleged that he was suspended from service because his daughter married a man from another caste.

C V Rajan, who had been working as an Upakarmi (temple ritual assistant) at the temple for nearly 30 years, has approached the Deputy Commissioner of the Malabar Devaswom Board with a complaint against the suspension. A hearing on the complaint is scheduled to be held next month. Rajan has also approached the Kerala State Human Rights Commission with a complaint.

Rajan, a member of the Vaniya community, alleges that the actual reason for his suspension was his daughter’s marriage to a man from the Pothuval community, which is commonly described as an upper-caste section.

His daughter got married on March 15, 2026. The engagement and other ceremonies had taken place in August 2025. Rajan alleges that the temple committee had asked him to keep away from work after his daughter’s engagement. According to him, the action was withdrawn after the strong intervention of an Assistant Commissioner of the Malabar Devaswom Board, who warned the temple committee.

Rajan has also approached V Kunjikrishnan MLA with a complaint regarding the matter. He says that he and his daughter have lodged three complaints with the Human Rights Commission, but the commission is yet to take any action.

The suspension order issued by temple managing trustee E V Krishnan Anthithiriyan says Rajan behaved improperly towards members of the temple committee and committed disciplinary violations. It also says the temple committee had received several complaints from devotees regarding his behaviour.

According to the order, Rajan violated the traditional customs and practices established by his ancestors over centuries, failed to maintain proper discipline and behaved badly towards ritual performers and devotees. It states that he had initially been removed from duty until April 1 during the Poorotsavam period, a month-long temple festival. After his response was found unsatisfactory, he was subsequently suspended pending an inquiry, with a charge sheet to be issued later.

"The temple of the Vaniya community follows the customs and traditions established centuries ago by the community’s ancestral forefathers. However, you have been following a lifestyle that deviates from and is contrary to the customs and traditions of the temple. As the temple’s Upakarmi (ritual assistant), you have been performing ritual duties without maintaining punctuality and without adhering to the temple’s established practices and discipline," says the suspension order.

"On several occasions, when these matters were pointed out to (Rajan) by the Trust, you responded in a highly defiant manner. Furthermore, the ritual authorities (Acharasthanis) have submitted complaints alleging that you have behaved disrespectfully toward the temple and its traditions, both in public and otherwise, despite the community collectively holding these ritual authorities in great reverence. Complaints have also been received from devotees regarding your manner of performing rituals and your defiant conduct," it says.

The trustee points out that although the temple comes under the Malabar Devaswom Board, it is a temple that functions strictly according to the customs and traditions of the community.

Muchilott temples across northern Kerala are run by members of the Vaniya community. Members of the community function as priests and perform temple rituals, including offerings and other related duties. The temple's position is that only those who follow the customs and traditions of the community are eligible to perform rituals and ceremonies.

Rajan, however, disputes the allegations against him and says the temple authorities have failed to provide evidence supporting the complaints.

“In the suspension notice, they cited the reason as my failure to follow customs. They also cited that devotees had raised various complaints against me. But when I asked for proof of both, they failed to produce it. They have a responsibility to do that. I strongly believe that I was suspended only because my daughter married a man from another caste. How can a father be removed from his position simply because his daughter married someone from another caste?” he asked.

Rajan says he is prepared to step down if evidence is produced to establish any wrongdoing on his part. "If there is any fault in my conduct, I am willing to step down if evidence is produced to prove it," he said.

Meanwhile, temple managing committee secretary Hareendran told Onmanorama that the temple committee has no objection to Rajan continuing as Upakarmi and that the trustee has to take the final decision. "The temple committee did not receive any complaint against Rajan from devotees, and we have no objection to Rajan continuing as Upakarmi," said Hareendran.

The dispute has now reached the Malabar Devaswom Board, where the Deputy Commissioner is scheduled to hear Rajan's complaint next month. The Human Rights Commission complaint filed by Rajan and his daughter is also pending.