It hurts when mother-in-law bats for Sabarimala tradition
dubai — When Kanakadurga finally came out of hiding, she was optimistic that the civil society will do her no harm for defying traditions and entering Sabarimala. But little did she know that the most brutal assault would come from her own family.
The 39-year-old government employee is currently admitted in hospital after her mother-in-law attacked her with a wooden bat on Tuesday morning, a source close to the victim told Khaleej Times.
The incident happened in the morning when her husband was not at home.
abu dhabi — Kanakadurga, one of the women who entered the Sabarimala hill temple in Kerala, was attacked by her mother-in-law on Tuesday morning, and is hospitalised with serious head injuries.
“Her mother-in-law attacked her with a wooden bat this morning. She dealt several blows on her head, and she fell unconscious. The incident happened in the morning when her husband was not at home,” a source who is close to the family told Khaleej Times.
The police arrived at the scene and took Kanakadurga to a hospital in Perinthalmanna, and later to Manjeri Medical College. “But now we are on the way to the Kozhikode medical college as the doctors have diagnosed some neurological issues and ruled that she has to be immediately shifted,” said the source.
Kanakadurga, 39, a government employee and Bindu Ammini, 40, an assistant professor, had gone in hiding fearing backlash after their controversial visit to Sabarimala temple on January 2. They became the first women to break the ageold tradition of the temple that has the celibate deity Lord Ayyappa, and hence bars women of menstrual age between 10 and 50.
After weeks of staying away from public glare, both the women came out from their hiding on Monday. Kanakadurga went home and Bindu Ammini chose to stay as a paying guest near Kannur University, where she is teaching law.
Speaking to Khaleej Times over the phone from Kerala, Ammini said she is safe and has started teaching. “I resumed classes today. I did not face any problem in the college. My students and colleagues were friendly and gave me a warm welcome.”
Ammini said Kanakadurga’s mother-in-law’s angry reaction was unfortunate. “But her husband, who earlier cut ties with her, has come along and is willing to accept her.”
When Khaleej Times earlier met the women in their secret hideout in Kerala a few days ago, Kanakadurga had expressed her concern
about her family’s attitude toward her after the temple entry.
“My family is angry with me because they don’t accept my stand on this temple issue. They have disowned me because I am someone who has broken a sacred tradition,” she said.
“I may lose my comfortable family life. But if my family ostracises me just for entering a temple, then I am not going to regret it. I am ready to face the consequences of my action, and have full confidence that I can live my life as an independent woman.”
But as a mother, she said she is worried about her twin children, aged 12, with whom she does not have any contact since January 22, when she and Bindu Ammini made their first attempt to enter the temple amid protests.
“I miss my kids. My family is not giving me access or even letting me talk to them over the phone. They are staying with my sister now,” complained Kanakadurga.
Bindu Ammini, on the other hand, comes from a family that shares her ideological beliefs. “I have the full support of my husband and my 13-year old daughter. I did not go back home because there are threats, and I don’t want to endanger their lives.”
Bindu said her daughter resumed school on January 10, and “there was no big problem”.
Both the women had said they have confidence that the Kerala government, the police force and the civil society will protect them from hardliners.
“As long as there are people who believe in democratic rights and goodness, we don’t think we have anything to worry. We are ready to go back to our families and to our old life,” said Kanakadurga.
Sabarimala has been a flashpoint issue in the south Indian state ever since the Supreme Court passed a verdict in September overturning the ban on women from entering the temple in the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala. Violent clashes erupted between the police and the devotees, marring public life for days.