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The term “Shuddhikaran” has been making headlines for the past month as there has been a controversy surrounding a purification ceremony allegedly done at Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani shortly after Congress head Mallikarjun Kharge had conducted a rally at the same place. But what Shuddhikaran is all about, and why is it still being talked about?
What Is Shuddhikaran?
The term Shuddhikaran (or Shuddhi) means purification. The purification ceremony is performed through rituals in Hinduism like havan to purify a place, individual, or object from impurity. The Shuddhi Movement of relevance has its roots in the British colonial period when Arya Samaj conducted the Shuddhi ceremony in order to bring back into Hinduism those who had converted, i.e. those practicing other religions.
What Makes It Controversial?
What adds to the controversy surrounding the ceremony is the fact that it is conducted on public land or the land of a particular person, as in this instance, from a backward caste, since their presence sullies the purity of the place. This very issue lies at the heart of the controversy surrounding Haldwani. Dalit leader Kharge had blamed the right-wing group for conducting the havan in the same location where he made his speech two days ago, calling it a manifestation of caste-based untouchability.
Political Impact
The BJP party, however, has distanced itself from the whole episode. Party president JP Nadda, has called the incident “unfortunate” and promised an investigation of the incident. On the other hand, Cong leaders like Rahul Gandhi have reacted strongly to the incident, saying the government had delayed filing a case for nearly three weeks following the incident. Similarly, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi slammed the incident, calling it unconstitutional untouchability, and demanded immediate and arrest, adding that the law must take its course no matter the victim’s status.
A Repeated Phenomenon
This is far from being a standalone case. There have been similar incidents before, one of them is the experience of a Hindu merchant in Aligarh, who found himself compelled to undergo “shuddhikaran” after he visited a mosque. Just like in the previous cases, it is difficult not to think if shuddhikaran is a real religious rite, or simply a means of contemporary discrimination.
Khushi Patel is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX, covering automotive, technology, Lifestyle, entertainment, and mainstream news. She previously worked as a Copy Editor at Times Network and has written automotive editorial content, including comparison pieces, for TimesDrive.
