Taking in view the alleged exploitation of Sabarimala pilgrims coming to worship Lord Ayyappa, the Kerala High Court on Tuesday directed the Travancore Devaswom Board to ensure that no illegal activities took place inside the premises of Erumely Dharma Shastha Temple.
In order to protect the pilgrims from exploitation, the Kerala High Court on Tuesday directed the Travancore Devaswom Board to ensure that no illegal activities took place inside the premises of Erumely Dharma Shastha Temple.
The Division Bench of Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice P. G. Ajithkumar passed the order on a petition challenging the notice issued to invite tender from private agencies to manage pottukuthal.
Sabarimala pilgrims who perform pettathullal, after taking the holy bath in the Erumely river, perform pottukuthal, whereby they apply vibhoothi/chandan/kumkum on their forehead and various parts of their body.
As per the tender notice, the agency entrusted with the task could charge up to Rs 10 from a devotee for this custom.
During the last hearing, the Board had submitted that it had issued the tender as unauthorised persons were charging people for the custom, even when the temple authorities were providing vibhoothi/chandan/kumkum freely to the devotees.
The Standing Counsel for the Board submitted that three mirrors were placed in the Nadapanthal of the temple during the Masapooja and the Mandalam-Makaravilakku period where vibhoothi/chandan/kumkum were placed. The devotees could apply the same to their bodies in front of these mirrors without any charge.
The Division Bench directed the Board to ensure that no unauthorised activities were being held in the temple.
During the last hearing, the High Court had asked the Board whether pottukuthal was an essential religious practice.
The Board today submitted that pottukuthal was not a ritual of Erumely Dharma Shastha Temple, but a usage followed by the Sabarimala pilgrims who undertook pettathullal during the masapooja and mandalam – makaravilakku festival.
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