The political ecosystem surrounding the BJP and RSS has long mastered the art of narrative manipulation. When one symbol stops selling, they don’t change the agenda — they just rebrand the product.
For decades, Lord Ram has been the face of Hindutva politics in North India — from Ayodhya to TV screens, from rallies to riots. But in Tamil Nadu, Ram doesn’t resonate the same way. Tamil culture isn’t easily swayed by narratives that feel imported or imposed. And the BJP knows it.
So, they changed course.
Enter Lord Murugan — the beloved son of Shiva, the warrior god deeply embedded in Tamil identity, culture, and landscape. He isn’t new to Tamil Nadu — he is Tamil Nadu. So naturally, if Hindutva politics needed a local mascot, Murugan was the perfect pick.
The recent Murugan Maanaadu in Madurai wasn’t just a religious gathering — it was political theatre, carefully scripted. Even the saffron gave way to green, not out of spiritual humility but political necessity. A calculated move to camouflage the old strategy in new colors.
But here’s the real question: What’s next?
If the Ram Mandir brought votes in the North, will the next phase be locating a “disputed site”involving a Murugan temple and a mosque? Will we soon be fed tales of ancient temples buried under medieval mosques in Tamil lands too? Are we on the verge of yet another 50-year cycle of hate politics — this time with a local god in the lead role?
This is not about devotion. This is about division. The method remains the same — only the iconography changes.
In the end, whether it’s Ram or Murugan, the tragedy is the same: gods are being reduced to vote banks, and centuries-old culture is being weaponized to win elections.
And we, the people, are once again being asked to pick sides — not between good and evil, but between carefully curated illusions.