As the recent flurry of activity surrounding the Sabarimala pilgrimage — including the Travancore Devaswom Board’s Global Ayyappa Sangamam at Pampa and a parallel event by Sangh Parivar groups at Pandalam — begins to settle, one prominent organization is once again drawing significant attention: the Nair Service Society (NSS).
The Left Democratic Front (LDF), particularly the CPI(M), seems quite pleased with the NSS’s active backing of the Travancore Devaswom Board and, by extension, the state government, in organizing the Ayyappa Sangamam. There was a clear and conscious effort to avoid any inconvenience to the NSS, which had made it a stringent condition that the event must remain apolitical.
For the LDF, this support from the NSS marks a significant achievement in its ongoing efforts to rebuild rapport with the influential community organization. Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan publicly acknowledged this support, emphasizing that the NSS has never truly opposed the current LDF government.
More Than Just Symbolic Support
The NSS, for its part, has ensured its involvement carried real weight, far beyond mere symbolism. As a leading Hindu organization representing forward castes, the NSS has always prided itself on maintaining political neutrality while staunchly defending Hindu traditions. It famously led the charge in the 2018 Sabarimala protests, which caused considerable challenges for the then Pinarayi Vijayan-led government. This time around, the NSS managed to secure strong assurances from the state that the revered customs and traditions of the hill temple would be fully protected.
Sources within the CPI(M) credit this positive outcome to consistent dialogue with the NSS, involving key ministers like Vasavan and even Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan himself. “The government has largely succeeded in communicating its position on Sabarimala to the NSS, including the LDF’s stance on the women-entry issue and its proactive measures to move any protests away from the sacred pilgrimage zone,” explained a senior party leader.
A Shift in Stance on UDF and BJP?
The CPI(M) leader further noted that, beyond simply supporting the LDF, the NSS appears to be growing increasingly dissatisfied with the stances of both the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regarding Sabarimala. “The departure of the Kerala Congress (M), which had considerable leverage due to the Indian Union Muslim League’s position within the Congress-led UDF, may have also deepened the NSS’s distrust of the opposition front,” he added.
NSS sources, however, are quick to clarify, stating that their support is purely strategic and strictly limited to the Sabarimala issue. “The NSS’s primary goal is to prevent Sabarimala from becoming a battleground for protests while rigorously upholding its traditions and customs. It was only after receiving concrete assurances from the government on this crucial matter that the organization decided to send a representative to the event,” they affirmed.
Despite the notable success of its own protest event at Pandalam, the BJP, which typically enjoys support within the Nair community, finds itself once again somewhat overshadowed by the NSS. With important elections on the horizon, the party will need to devise new strategies to regain the community organization’s favor. Meanwhile, the NSS’s principled stand feels vindicated, as the organization has successfully asserted its independence, ensuring that no political party can dictate its terms or hijack its agenda.