Indian -- New Notes -- January 7, 2025

Introduction

Tropical Gothic

Kerala, town of Guruvayur, the Garuvayur temple
Dedicated to Vishnu, one of the great trinity of Hindu deities 
since the 1700s, many assaults on the temple: Dutch, Muslims, French
but the most notable, 1931: untouchable caste demanded entry
“temple-entry” movement
Closely associated with E. V. Ramaswami Naiker, a low-caste intellectual
In opposition to the main party of Indian nationalism, the Indian National Congress
Naiker: Congress was in reality a Brahman-dominated claque devoted to the preservation of high-caste privilege and hierarchy
Commander-in-chief of Congress, Mahatma Gandhi arrives; takes control of()
1935: Naiker prevails; wins legal victory that everyone can enter the temple
The guruvayar temple encapsulates the tension between hierarchy and equality









Babel-Mahal




Far Pavilions



Spinning The Nation

A House Divided

The Last Viceroy

Flames



Leveling The Temple



Epilogue, or Divine Developments