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A temple worker in Kannur has alleged that he was suspended from his duties after his daughter married a man from another caste. CV Rajan, a 58-year-old resident of Karivellur, who has worked as an upakarmi (temple assistant) at the Karivelloor Muchilot Bhagavathi Temple for three decades, has approached the Malabar Devaswom Board with a complaint alleging that the temple trust and executive committee discriminated against him over his daughter’s marriage.
The allegation, meanwhile, has been disputed by the temple authorities, who have cited alleged violations of temple practices and misconduct as the reasons for the action.
Rajan's family has been associated with the temple for generations, and he took up the job after his father. He told TNM he has not been working at the temple for about four months now. He was initially suspended in March and asked to explain the allegations against him by April 1. The temple later issued a formal suspension order effective June 15, stating that his explanation was unsatisfactory.
Rajan’s daughter married a man from the Pothuval community on March 15. Rajan belongs to the Vaniya community, which is classified as an Other Backward Class (OBC) in Kerala, while Pothuval is classified under the general category, according to the state’s classification. The temple Rajan worked at is dedicated to Muchilot Bhagavathy, the chief deity associated with the Vaniya community.
Rajan said the issue was discussed at the temple’s general body meeting in 2025, around the time of his daughter’s engagement, and that it was decided that he could continue working at the temple. “During the engagement time of my daughter, the temple general body discussed this matter and decided that I could continue my job. Later, in 2026, the new executive committee and trustee asked me to stay away from the job without initially giving any formal letter," he said.
According to Rajan, the temple’s trust and executive committee orally asked him to stay away from his duties three days before his daughter’s wedding.
On March 21, the temple managing trustee sent a letter seeking Rajan’s explanation over allegations that he had been following “a lifestyle that deviates from the established temple customs and practices.”
The letter also alleged that, as an upakarmi, Rajan had failed to the required discipline, punctuality, and temple procedures, and had responded “in a highly defiant and disrespectful manner” when these issues were raised by the trust. The temple further said it had been receiving complaints alleging that Rajan had behaved disrespectfully and in a manner insulting to the dignity of the temple.
The temple later issued a suspension order stating that Rajan was suspended from service with effect from June 15 after his explanation was found unsatisfactory.
Rajan, however, has rejected the allegations against him, calling the reasons cited by the temple authorities baseless. He said the disciplinary proceedings were a pretext for action taken against him because of his daughter’s marriage.
“I joined the temple after my father, and it has been 30 years since I have been working there. No written rule allows an employee to be suspended because that person’s child married someone from a different community. It is the autocratic decision of the trust members,” Rajan told TNM.
He has therefore approached the Malabar Devaswom Board alleging discrimination. The board oversees the administration of temples under its jurisdiction, including matters relating to temple employees and disciplinary proceedings.
“My daughter is well educated and she wanted to marry a person. I never thought about caste there. After I filed the complaint, the temple authority has not yet filed any explanation from their side,” Rajan said.
According to Rajan’s lawyer, Pramod K, the case is scheduled to be heard on September 10 at the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Malabar Devaswom Board at the Civil Station in Kozhikode.