The little songbooks that chronicled a historic temple entry

Over 87 years ago, this day – July 8 – witnessed a truly historic moment in Tamil Nadu. People belonging to the oppressed castes who, until then, had been barred from entering the Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple, made their way into the premises to offer worship. Though many newspapers and government documents have extensively recorded this temple entry, it was also documented in another fascinating manner. The cheaply priced Kummi songbooks (chapbooks), published during that era, captured the movement and its repercussions in an intriguing way.

Even as some castes were traditionally barred from entering temples in Tamil Nadu, in the southern districts, the Nadar community, too, was kept out, along with the so-called untouchables. On July 8, 1939, a group, led by A. Vaidyanatha Iyer of Tamil Nadu Harijan Sevak Sangh, and comprising the ‘untouchables’ and a Nadar, entered the Meenakshi Amman Temple and offered prayers. Following this, a number of other temples across Tamil Nadu were opened to all who wished to offer worship, in a phased manner. The Madras government also enacted an ordinance to support this.

During the 1930s and the 1940s, it was common practice to write songs about major events that caused a public stir, and publish them as books. Similarly, songbooks were published both in support of, and in opposition to, the Madurai temple entry.

Following the temple entry, a songbook welcoming the move, titled, ‘Madurai Aalaya Pravesam Ennum Aananda Geetham’ (The Joyful Song of Madurai Temple Entry), was published in 1939. It had nine songs written by Muthamizh Kshetra Madurakavi V. Nataraja Kavirayar. The songs celebrated the movement and blessed those who participated in and facilitated it. One song was even structured as a debate between an ‘untouchable’ and an orthodox Vedic practitioner.

Another songbook published in 1939 supporting the cause was ‘Muthamizh Kshetra Madurai Meenakshi Amman Kovil Harijana Aalaya Pravesa Geetham’ (The Harijan Temple Entry Song of Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple). Written by A.M. Abdul Karim from Pollachi, the book was published by S. Sundararaja Kon of Madurai. It was sold for 1 anna and contained seven songs. The songs in this book were of a slightly superior literary quality when compared to the ones written by Nataraja Kavirayar.

Just as books in support of the cause were published, so were those strongly condemning the movement. The late writer and historian, Tho. Paramasivan, had recorded detailed information on the songbooks in one of his essays on the Madurai temple entry.

Of the songs condemning the movement, one was published in 1939 and another in 1940. The book published in 1939 was titled, ‘Aalaya Ethirppu Kummi’ (The Kummi Song of Temple Entry Opposition), and was written by Bageerathi Ammal of Madurai Pechiyamman Kovil Raastha. The 16-page songbook was priced at 2 annas.

The book published in 1940 was titled, ‘Aalaya Pravesa Kandana Paattu Pusthakam’ (The Songbook Condemning Temple Entry). It was published by S. Dharmambal of Madurai Kamala Thoppu Street. The 28-page book was also priced at 2 annas.

Tho. Paramasivan said both the books must have been published with the backing of the Varnashrama Swarajya Sangam, which operated under the leadership of N. Natesa Iyer. These songbooks vehemently condemned the temple entry, and referred to those who entered the temple as ‘chandalas’ (outcastes).

A song in Bageerathi Ammal’s book described “Meenakshi Amman leaving the temple the moment the Harijans entered, and people searching for Her in the streets of Madurai city”. The songbook also condemned Madras Premier Rajaji (C. Rajagopalachari), who brought in the ordinance.

After the temple entry movement, Varnashrama Swarajya Sangam met at a bungalow named Mangala Nivas, and passed resolutions. One of the resolutions also feature in this song: “Building a temple, training men, women, and children in the Agamic scriptures, delivering precious spiritual discourses, visiting [the temple] with great eagerness alongside assemblies of learned scholars, and spending our time usefully in absolute devotion — this is how we shall live.”

In accordance with this resolution, a small ‘New Meenakshi Amman Temple’ was built on a vacant plot near the bungalow compound of Aarubathi Natesa Iyer, president of the Varnashrama Swarajya Sangam, located on Tamil Sangam Road, where rituals and worship began. The goddess here was worshipped as Sri Bala Meenambigai.

Writer and historian A.R. Venkatachalapathy, who is also the author of ‘Muchanthi Ilakkiyam’ (Street corner literature), says the trend began around the 1880s and peaked in the 1920s, alongside the nationalist movement. “The songs were written in simple meters, often about major events, and printed on cheap paper. They were known as Kummi or Gujili songbooks. One major reason for the emergence of this kind of literature is the eagerness of the public to know about current events. But the opinions expressed in these songs were not exactly close to the truth. They were generally based on what the public opinion was perceived to be, aligning with the respective biases of the authors,” he says.

By the mid-1940s, the lawsuits concerning the temple entry came to an end, the priests accepted the temple management’s decision and returned to their duties at the main temple, after which this temporary temple was slowly abandoned.