page_title: Muthiri kinaru
section_title: Social background
hierarchical_section_title: Muthiri kinaru / Social background
caption_attribution_description: Description: English: Inner view of the Octagonal Muthiri Kinaru in Swamithope. Source: I took this photo.
context_page_description: Muthiri Kinaru is the sacred well located in the north-western corner of Swamithoppe village. This is the famous theertha of the temple. It is located half a kilometre west from the main Pathi.
  Historically, this well plays a major role in joining the people in this part of the country, breaking the caste-based discrimination that once prevailed among them. Before and during the period of Lord Vaikundar, this part of the subcontinent was under the grip of feudalism, casteism, and untouchability. There were separate wells and tanks for each caste, and people from the other caste were not allowed to draw out water from those wells. As in the Vinchai, since the social aim of 'uplifting the lowely treated people in the society' occupies a major part in the spiritual mission of Vaikundar, which is projected towards the ideal Dharma Yukam, he wanted to stop this evil practice. So as the first step to reach this aim, this well was established at Swamithoppe. Apart from religious sacredness, this well was also a historical icon since it was the first well in this part of the country where people could use water freely, irrespective of their caste.
context_section_description: In the then Travancore society, the discriminatory laws of purity and pollution were very sensitive in places of bathing, and in acts involving the use of water. Demarcation of separate places for the different castes for bathing and drawing water, and a strict enforcement of this discriminated separation through regulations, social and political, along with a strong religious sanction, was the order of the day. As a general custom, the lower castes were prohibited from drawing water from public wells and ponds. The upper caste people had separate wells so that they could avoid the presence and pollution of the lower caste people. Those who, be it a member of the caste fold or one from outside of it, ventured to transgress these demarcated spaces were penalised with severe corporal punishments, or even eliminated unceremoniously.
  It was against this back ground that a ritual involving the congregation of the people from different castes around a well, bathing together, and cooking their food with the water of the same well was being performed at Swamithoppe, where Ayya Vaikundar was carrying out his mission. It was an indirect challenge to the evil system of untouchability. This cluster of ritual actions set in motion an interrogation of the system of purity and pollution, and indirectly challenged the hegemonic system of discriminated separation. The ritual boundaries that had been set on the use of water was sought to be transgressed, and the strength of the traditional indoctrination on ritual impurity implied in the exchange of water from one to another, was sought to be weakened.
caption: Patham drawn from Muthirikkinaru; inner view of the well
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