IDUKKI The hairdressing salons of Vattavada, an agrarian village near Munnar, have denied entry to people of a particular caste for long. A social boycott was in place and those belonging to the said caste had to travel either to Munnar or Marayur, over 50 km, for availing themselves of the services of hairdressers there.
Authorities intervened after a few youths approached the grama panchayat with a formal complaint. The panchayat authorities asked the three salons in the village either to close down or treat people equally. But it had little impact as the salons that followed the directive faced a social boycott. Those running the salons had no options but to close down. The panchayat cancelled the licence of the salons on September 9 and Vattvada became a village without a hairdressing salon.
Meanwhile, the panchayat itself opened a salon at its building where all could go and it was inaugurated on September 14.
This slowly melted the caste system. Now, people from all castes go there.
A few days back, the hairdressers at the three salons gave an undertaking to the authorities that they would not discriminate against anyone and that their licences should should be renewed.
The panchayat committee on Friday decided to renew the licences, Vattvada grama panchayat secretary R.Nandakumar said. “However, it will be on the condition that no discrimination will be allowed there,” he told The Hindu.
