'When I applied for the job of santhi, I applied as a person who was eligible.' 'When I joined the temple at the age of 21, it was because I got the 4th rank in the list.' 'Now, everybody is talking only about my caste. I am above all that; it doesn't matter to me and to the people with whom I am associated with.'
The Kerala government dubbed Desai's attempt to visit Sabarimala as a 'conspiracy'.
In the backdrop of the Pulmedu tragedy, which claimed lives of 102 Sabarimala pilgrims, the Kerala high court on Thursday asked the Tranvacore Devaswom Board that manages the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa, if 'Makara Jyoti' (celestial light) was man-made.
The Kerala forest department is of the view that unrestricted entry of vehicles for ferrying pilgrims into the Pullumedu trekking path was one of the factors that paved the way for the January 14 stampede that claimed the lives of 102 Sabarimala pilgrims.
Division bench comprising Justice Thottathil Radhakrishnan and P S Gopinathan directed the Police, Forest and Travancore Devaswom board to file reports regarding the reasons for the accident.
'What authority has a secular government to administer Hindu temples? When Hindu temples are ruled by secular governments, what religious freedom do Hindus have?'
Sivadasan's family has demanded a probe into his death.
The Board, which also comprise the state government nominees, told a five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi that it is high time that a particular class not be discriminated on the ground of 'biological attributes'.
A high voter turnout was recorded in West Bengal, Assam Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry assembly elections on Tuesday. The massive polling exercise following COVID-19 health protocol and involving lakhs of personnel began at 7 am and the last hour from 6 pm to 7 pm was set aside for COVID-19 patients and those under isolation. The counting of votes in the states will be held on May 2.
Seeking to downplay the debate over the Makara Jyothi of the Sabarimala temple, Travancore Devaswom Board said it was known to most believers that it was a man lit-fire, but there was a Hindu belief behind it. "It is known to everybody that Makara Jyothi is a fire lit up by men at Ponnabalamedu and TDB also recognises this',TDB president M Rajagoplan Nair said.
Sasikala, said she was not allowed to undertake the trek to the shrine and sent back by the police, official sources said that she entered the sanctum sanctorum and offered prayers.
The Travancore Devaswom Board that governs the affairs of Sabarimala has been entrusted to form an expert committee to come up with a detailed project report for transforming Sabarimala into a national pilgrimage.
The Supreme Court asked the Sabarimala temple management, "How mensturation is linked to purety?"
The director general of police said everyone in the force should have to perform their duties irrespective of their religion and politics.
Asserting that it would decide on the right of women to enter the historic Sabarimala shrine on the basis of constitutional principles.
This is the third time the temple is opening after the court verdict, though no girl or woman in the previously banned age group could offer prayers so far following stiff resistance by devotees and activists, opposing any change in the temple traditions. The apex court on September 28 lifted the age-old ban on entry of girls and women in the 10-50 age group.
The injured have been admitted to Sannidhanam hospital, Pathnamthitta Collector R Girija said. She said there was a "small stampede" between Sannidhanam and Malikapuram and about 20 persons were injured.
The women devotees were surrounded by a large number of protesters after they crossed the base camp to begin the trek towards the hill shrine.
The committee also decided to recommend to the government to amend the Guruvayur Devaswom Act for removal of the clause, which empowered the 'thanthri' (traditional high priest) as the supreme authority of religious matters.
801 cases have been registered in connection with violent protests which were witnessed during the dawn-to-dusk hartal called by pro-Hindu outfits on Thursday, police said, adding that 717 people are now in preventive custody.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe on Saturday offered worship at the famous Lord Krishna Temple in Kerala amid heavy security.
Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the shrine, said revenue collection on the opening day registered a growth of Rs 1.28 crore compared to last year.
In a radical break from the centuries-old dress code of the Sree Krishna temple in Guruvayur, the shrine's management on Thursday decided to allow women wearing churidars to enter it.
The ban on the entry of women at the hill shrine became strict following a directive of the Kerala high court in 1990 on the basis of an affidavit given by the then government in a related case
The existing rule allows entry to a Hindu by 'birth or religion,' he said, adding that it will be amended by adding the word 'faith.'
Kerala Devaswom Minister Minister Kadakampally Surendran said the government would not support those who make announcements about entering the hill shrine for the sake of publicity.
'Thanthris (chief priests of temples) have no right to determine who is a believer'.
The conduct of puniyaham (purification) after the visit of Union Minister Vayalar Ravi's son Ravikrishna on the ground that his mother hailed from a Christian family has triggered a statewide debate on entry of non-Hindus into the temple.
The board will decide future action in a meeting soon.
The RSS leader said he had not violated any customs and claimed that he ascended the 18 steps carrying the sacred offerings.
Kerala's Left Democratic Front government on Friday said it is prepared to make timely changes in temple rules since "its policy is to allow all those who believe in Hindu gods to worship in temples."
'There seems to be a general ignorance of the laws among the lawmakers, Hindu and non-Hindu devotees.'
Barring entry to non-Hindu devotees should be construed as 'contempt on Hindu religion' and anyone who is ready to follow the temple traditions should be allowed to worship, Bhattathiripad said.
Swami Sandeepananda Giri had welcomed the apex court order permitting women in the 10-50 age group to offer prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala.
The court noted that several devotees visiting the Jagannath temple in Puri were being harassed.
'We will meet each villager in Kerala and chalk out a massive agitation plan to protect the Sabarimala temple.'
The Kerala government on Friday decided to order a police inquiry into Kannada actress Jayamala's claim that she had entered the sanctum sanctorum of the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala.
The temple board is likely to seek the co-operation of the state government as its own investigative wing had limitations in conducting the probe in a sensitive matter involving inter-state ramifications.
The Travancore Devaswom Board has insured the Sabarimala Ayyappa shrine for a value of Rs 30 crore (Rs 300 million) and also introduced a free-of-cost accident insurance project for pilgrims visiting the holy place.
Temple priest performed a 'purification' ritual for an hour before the doors were opened again.
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