A visit to Mariyala, an impoverished hamlet on the outskirts of Chamarajanagar near Mysore, will unfold before you the changing socio-cultural landscape of Karnataka’s hinterlands. Rural areas have remained untouched by the wave of Hindu Renaissance that is sweeping across urban Karnataka. The sleepy Mariyala village that is caught up in a time warp is awakening into a new socio-cultural reality. The deserted 800-year-old temple is a standing monument of the changing social realities.
Indus Scrolls investigation found that Dalit settlements in nearby villages are also becoming Christianised at an alarming pace. A pastor who turns up in Kellampalli village to conduct bible class lamented that the shed which works as a church doesn’t have enough space to accommodate the rising number of neo-converts. “We will soon build a descent church in the near future,” said the Pastor.
Taking advantage of the social and economic disabilities, missionaries have targeted Dalits and other socially disadvantaged sections for conversion. A villager tells Indus Scrolls that almost all members of his community have converted to Christianity. He vouches that after his conversion to Christianity his social and economic condition has improved. Although some residents are not comfortable talking about their conversion, the youth are very forthcoming.
Neglected and exploited by the upper castes, the Dalits look up to Christianity for dignity and economic improvement. More than anything they believe Christianity has brought them “closer to a living God”. Another neo-convert tells Indus Scrolls that earlier his family used to worship ‘stones’ and ‘ghosts’. “Now I hate to look at them. Jesus is the real God. He alone can save the humanity,” he added.
Small churches with crosses atop are mushrooming in the villages. While some churches run in makeshift sheds, big buildings have also come up in many places.
In the nearby upper-caste settlement, people, though are aware of the social change, seemed to be unconcerned about the whole thing. Will they a price for their nonchalance? Only time will tell.
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