Lawyer and political commentator Manuraj Shunmugasundaram’s new book, The People’s Sanctum: The 100-Year Struggle to Democratize Temples in India, revisits one of modern India’s most significant yet underexplored social justice movements. Marking the centenary of the Vaikom Satyagraha, the book traces the century-long struggle against caste-based exclusion in Hindu temples and examines how these movements reshaped constitutional values, equality and access to places of worship.

Blending history, law and social reform, The People’s Sanctum explores the journey from grassroots protests to landmark constitutional debates and contemporary reforms. Drawing on extensive research and accessible storytelling, Shunmugasundaram highlights how the fight for temple entry became central to India’s broader quest for dignity, citizenship and social justice. The book has received praise from historian Manu S. Pillai, senior advocate Indira Jaising and O.P. Jindal Global University Vice Chancellor Prof. (Dr) C. Raj Kumar for its timely and insightful examination of religion, caste and constitutional democracy.