“Muslim Shrines, Hindu Pilgrims: The misguided syncretism of Sabarimala and Vavar’s Myth”, Stop Hindudvesha, January 2, 2025:
“More than 30 million Hindus visit the Sabarimala hill shrine in the southern Indian state of Kerala each year. All the cash and gold they offer to the deity, Swami Ayyappa, go into the state government coffers. The revenue, which amounted to $42 million last year, is used for ‘secular’ causes.
That is, a substantial portion of it gets transferred indirectly to Christians and Muslims by way of salaries to government employees and via funding of minority institutions such as colleges. And lately, it has started going directly to Christians and Muslims via so-called minority welfare schemes. One conduit for transferring substantial donations to Muslims is the “Vavarswami” shrine, which lies en route to the iconic Sabarimala temple.
Named after Vavar, described in folklore as a Muslim pirate or bandit who arrived on Kerala’s shores to loot and plunder, the shrine of Vavar is now a mandatory stop on the Sabarimala pilgrimage. Tradition requires each of the 30 million pilgrims to offer donations at the Vavar shrine. Of course, the shrine is administered by Muslims, and the Muslim custodians take the donations and gifts…….”
Read the full article at Stophindudvesha.org
