Kerala Govt Mulls Separate Administrative Body for Sabarimala

If implemented, Sabarimala too will have an administrative system similar to that of Guruvayur temple.

The famed Sabarimala temple in Kerala.  

(Photo: IANS)

A separate administrative authority will be formed for the Sabarimala temple in line with the Guruvayur temple, if the state government takes forward the plan for the same.

The state government informed the Supreme Court that a separate legislation for the administration of the Sabarimala temple was under consideration.

The government told this to the court when a three-member bench led by Justice MV Remana was considering a petition by a Pandalam Royal family member on various issues in connection with the temple. The counsel for the Kerala government said that there was no need for urgent hearing of the petition.

According to a report in The New Indian Express, the government plans to modify the existing administrative setup for the temples under the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).

Former TDB President Prayar Gopalakrishan reacted by saying that the move is an attempt by the state to take over temples and their revenue.

Meanwhile, Minister for Devaswom Kadakampally Surendran, said that the state has not taken any decision to change the administrative setup at Sabarimala, the report says.

Sabarimala, the famous temple of Lord Ayyappa located in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district, had become the centre of attention ever since the Supreme Court passed a landmark judgement on 28 September 2018 allowing women of menstruating age to worship at the temple.

Ever since, the state had witnessed unprecedented protests spearheaded by the BJP and other right-wing organisations.

The tight security owing to the protests resulted in significant drop in the number of devotees in the 2018 pilgrim season, which began in November and ended in January. This in turn hit the temple's business, like production and sale of Appam and Aravana.

The government took the stand to implement the SC verdict and on 2 January this year, two women — Bindu Ammini and Kanakadurga — entered the shrine.

(This article has been published in arrangement with The News Minute)