In 2000s, the Sangh fiercely opposed entry of Christian evangelists into the slum

Each year, the arrival of trucks loaded with black sugarcane all the way from Tamil Nadu marks the start of the preparations for Pongal, the Tamil harvest festival in Dharavi.

While the festival brings together Mumbai’s Tamils, a sizeable section in in Dharavi, it is also increasingly used as a platform for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in its drive to prevent conversions in the slum.

RSS affiliates, the Hindu YuvaSena (HYS) and the Dharma Jakran Samanvai Samiti (DKSS) have for the past decade organised Pongal programmes in Dharavi. Though the two main parties from Tamil Nadu — the DMK and the AIADMK — also organise Pongal programmes, the Shiv Sena and RSS shakhas use the festival to compete for Hindu support in Dharavi.

The HYS and DJSS provide the participants with pots, rice, sugarcane, stoves, turmeric and other puja items for their Pongal celebrations. However, the invites, sent out by the HYS and the DJSS in both Tamil and English, also inform the participants about the need to “stop religious conversion” and “save [the] nation.”

The RSS has functioned in Dharavi for close to three decades and its Hindutva project gained momentum in the early 2000s when it fiercely opposed the entry of Christian evangelists into the slum. The organisation then began organising Pongal celebrations to “unite Hindus” as a counter to the entry of Christian missionaries. An overwhelming majority of RSS members in Dharavi are Tamils.

Packiadhas Kalasham Nadar (48), originally from Kanyakumari, is the chief organiser of the RSS’ Pongal events and anti-conversion drive in Dharavi. Mr. Nadar’s enthusiasm stems from his own experience. He re-converted to Hinduism from Christianity when he was 18. “The Christian missionaries manipulate the slum-dwellers’ poverty and trick them into converting for some benefits. We will remind them to stay away from conversion, tell them about their traditions and values. Their real home is Hinduism,” said Mr. Nadar.

On Thursday, as the 90 Feet Road, the main venue for the Pongal festivities , is packed with people and Pongal pots, the HYS will also talk about the issue of conversion from the manch, Mr. Nadar said. RSS functionaries from Tamil Nadu have also been invited for the “10 year grand Pongal festival.”

Beginning with 51 pots in 2005, the HYS event has grown steadily and this year will have 1101 pots. “There is not enough space for each Tamil household to perform Pongal rituals in their homes, so we give space to them. This way the Tamil culture is kept alive,” says Mr. Nadar.

The HYS is not confined to Dharavi. This year 3000 Pongal pots are being organised in areas with Tamil communities such as Chembur, Malad, Matunga, Koliwada, Bhandup and Worli. “We want to make Pongal a big event just like Ganpati festival,” says Kannan, HYS treasurer.

While the HYS Pongal events get a huge response its anti-conversion drive has had mixed responses. There were plenty of cases of reconversions.