Breaking caste barriers and encouraging horoscope-free weddings. That’s what the Keralam unit of the Vishva Hindu Parishad is doing to counter what it sees as “dwindling birth rate among Hindus”.

The decision was taken at the state meeting of the VHP held in Kochi on Monday, after finding that caste barriers within the Hindu community and incompatible horoscopes have shattered the marriage dreams of several youths.

According to state government data, the total number of births registered in Keralam in 2024 was 344,766. Births to Hindu mothers during the year were 135,753, accounting for 39 per cent of all registered births in the state. According to the 2021 Census, Hindus form 54 per cent of the state’s population.

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VHP state general secretary Advocate Anil Vilayil said reports on Kerala’s birth rate indicate that the birth rate among Hindus in the state is declining. He attributed the trend mainly to delayed marriages, which he said were caused by caste barriers and incompatibility in the horoscopes of prospective brides and bridegrooms.

“Youths in microscopic Hindu communities find it difficult to get a suitable partner from their own communities. Hence, we have decided to promote marriages that break caste barriers. Let upper-caste Hindu youths find brides from lower-caste Hindus and vice versa. In Keralam, the practice of looking at jathaka porutham (horoscope matching) prevails among Hindus”. Marriage dreams of scores of youths have been shattered for want of jathaka porutham ,” he said.

No wedding should be delayed due to these two factors, he said.

“VHP will soon introduce an online platform for promoting such marriages and helping youths to find partners belonging to different Hindu castes, and to provide opportunities for marriages without considering horoscope compatibility,” he said.

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Promoting upper garments in temples

The VHP also decided to promote men’s right to enter temples wearing upper garments, which goes against the existing rules in several temples in Keralam. The VHP state general secretary said this practice seems to have distanced the youth from temples.

“Hence, we decided to intervene. Reforms are needed to bring the younger generation closer to temples. A meeting of Hindu clerics held in Thrissur in 2023 had made a recommendation to this effect. Wearing an upper garment should not be a barrier to temple entry. Henceforth, men will be allowed to enter the 200-odd temples under the VHP wearing upper garments,” he said.