Athachamayam procession sparks political row over saffron flag

The Athachamayam procession in Thripunithura, Kerala, which traditionally marks the beginning of the Onam festival, has become the centre of a political controversy over the alleged hoisting of a saffron flag by a dhol team from Pune.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) and the Congress have accused the organisers of attempting to saffronise the event, which has a long cultural legacy in the region. The Nashik Dhol team, based in Pune, Maharashtra, performed during the procession on August 16, and a saffron flag was reportedly hoisted during their act.

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) councillors of the Thripunithura municipality and the Congress’ Thripunithura block committee staged separate protests against the alleged politicisation of the event. They claimed that allowing the performance with a saffron flag was a deliberate attempt to introduce a political or communal element into a historically secular cultural celebration.

Former Minister and Thripunithura MLA K. Babu of the Congress said, “Never in the history of Athachamayam procession, nobody has tried to mix politics with it. Permitting the Nashik Dhol team to hoist the saffron flag of the Sangh Parivar was a clear attempt to saffronise the event.” He sought an explanation from the Athaghosha committee chairman and general convenor.

The general convenor of the Athaghosha committee, E.S. Rakesh Pai, who is also an LDF councillor and standing committee chairperson in the municipality, said the procession sub-committee had taken unilateral decisions, ignoring the general committee's stand on avoiding political interventions. “I had made it clear that ₹4 lakh for the Nashik Dhol team will not be allowed from the Athaghosham fund. Then the team was brought in the name of sponsorship, and people with badges distributed through RSS shakhas were made to stand around the team, in a clear bid to communalise the event,” he said in a statement.

Thripunithura municipal chairperson P.L. Babu, who also heads the Athaghosha committee, dismissed the allegations as politically motivated. He said all decisions regarding the procession were taken after consultations with everyone involved. “We invited the Nashik Dhol team only to enrich the procession. Our initial plan was to invite floats from across the country, but then we had time constraints. The Pune team hoisted the flag in honour of Chhatrapati Shivaji as part of their performance. The flag had nothing to do with the RSS,” he explained.

The chairperson said the matter was raised in the municipal council on Saturday, and he had made his stand clear. He also pointed out that this was the first time the procession was held after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed power in the municipality, which he suggested might have led to heightened scrutiny.

The Athachamayam procession is a centuries-old tradition that commemorates the royal march of the Maharaja of Kochi. It has been celebrated with great enthusiasm, featuring a colourful array of folk art forms, floats, and cultural performances from across Kerala. The event is seen as a platform that brings together diverse cultural traditions.

The controversy has once again raised questions about the use of cultural platforms for political symbolism. While the organisers maintain that the dhol team's performance was purely cultural, the opposition parties see it as a deliberate political act. The issue is likely to remain a topic of debate in the coming days.