BJP State President K Surendran has demanded the renaming of Sulthan Bathery in Wayanad as Ganapativattom, the original name of the place. Ganapathivattam was renamed Sulthan Bathery after the military invasion. Tipu’s military invasion in Kerala in general and the Malabar region in particular led to massive destruction of temples, massive and forceful religious conversion into Islam, etc. Ganapathivattam temple in Wayanad was one among such numerous temples. The centuries-old temple was desecrated and vandalised, and the granite murti of Ganapati was mutilated.
Sulthan Bathery was previously known as Ganapativattom because of the presence of the Ganapati temple. Devotees believe the murti radiates a powerful aura around. According to history, during the days of the Kulasekhara dynasty (9th and 12th centuries), it was a prominent temple in the area. Tipu, during the invasion, destroyed the temple and used its stones to build a fort. Immediately, the name of the place was changed to Sultan Bathery (Sultan’s Battery). The major deity is Ganapati, which faces the East. Bhagavati, Ayyappan, Nagaraja and Siva are the updevatas (sub deities).
Local people believe and support the version raised by K Surendran. Moreover, the documents of the Municipality suggest that the place was called Ganapativattom due to the presence of the Ganapati temple.
Right-thinking people have welcomed and supported K Surendran’s demand. But the pseudo-secularists, led by both the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), have started to attack the BJP leader. They do not dare call a spade a spade. They do not like to invite the wrath of the Muslim community, as their organised vote bank is important to both Fronts.
But K Surendran sticks to his gun. He asked why such a place should be named after an aggressor. The place was very much there even before Tipu’s invasion. Pramod Mahajan had said this in 1984; he was only repeating it. The name Sultan Bathery was not there before Tipu’s invasion. Such a place should not be named after an invader. Britons called it Sulthan Bathery as it was made of Tipu’s battery, that is, ‘armoury’. He says Congress and CPM oppose him as they are keen to support the invaders. They are making his words controversial. CPM State Secretary M V Govindan and the leaders of Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League have alleged that K Surendran’s comments are communal and fascist.
K Surendran is Rahul Gandhi’s principal opponent in the Wayanad parliamentary constituency. Although CPI national leader Annie Raja also contests, people consider the contest between her and Congress a friendly march. The major contest is between Rahul Gandhi and Surendran.
It is to be remembered that in Kerala, the names of a lot of places have been replaced with Bharatiya names instead of the names declared by Europeans during the ‘Raj’. And, none opposed. No doubt, the religious vote bank is the force behind the Opposition to K Surendran’s demand.
