Udupi: The 800-year-old Sri Krishna temple at Udupi in Karnataka is in the news for all the wrong reasons. The seat of 'Madhva' tradition (a part of Vaishnava tradition) strictly follows the caste system even today. Non-Brahmins are not allowed to eat with the Brahmins at temple's dining area where the food is served free for all devotees.
After an employee of the Krishna Mutt refused to serve food to a woman because she was not a Brahmin, a row erupted in the temple town with progressive thinkers and activists strongly protesting such discrimination against devotees.
Vanitha N Shetty, an assistant professor at Manipal, was asked to leave the "Bhojana Shala," (dining hall) of the Krishna Mutt because she was a not a Brahmin but a Bunt. A humiliated Shetty refused to eat at the area reserved for non-Brahmins and left the dining hall.
According to the Mutt office, the ground floor is reserved for Brahmins and food was served to non-Brahmins on the first floor of the dining hall.
The social activists have now submitted a memorandum to the government, demanding an end to discrimination based on caste among the devotees at the Mutt.
According to sources, Paryaya Seer (in charge of the Krishna temple), Sri Vidhyavallabha Teertha Swamiji, expressed regret over the incident and said that steps have been taken to ensure that such incidents did not happen again.
Udupi Sri Krishna Mutt is one of the ancient seats of Vaishnavite tradition and has a huge following among the non-Brahmins. Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah himself is demanding an end to discrimination at the temple.
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