The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) will be convening a meeting of various Hindu organisations at the board headquarters at Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday to discuss the steps to be taken for the smooth conduct of the forthcoming Mandalam-Makaravilaku pilgrim season at Sabarimala.

According to a statement issued here on Sunday, the TDB public relations officer, Sunil Arumanur, said the board president would be presiding over the meeting. Representatives of the Pandalam Palace, Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sanghom, Yogakshema Sabha, Sabarimala Ayyappa Seva Samajom, and Sabarimala Tantris (high priests) from the Thazhamon Madhom, would be attending the meeting, the statement said.

Palace yet to decide

Pandalam Palace Managing Committee president P.G. Sasikumar Varma told The Hindu that they had not yet received the agenda of the meeting. “The Pandalam palace is of the firm stand that the ritualistic tradition, custom and practice at Sabarimala that deny entry for menstruating women (in the age group of 10 to 50 years) to the Ayyappa temple should be strictly followed. If the proposed meeting is aimed at discussing how to implement the Supreme Court order permitting women of all ages to Sabarimala, I do not see any point in attending the meeting,” he said.

However, Mr Varma said the palace leaders would take a final decision, on whether to attend the meeting or not, only after consulting the Tantris and other Hindu organisations.

Tantris to decide today

Tantri (high priest) Kandarau Rajeevaru told The Hindu that the TDB had invited the Tantri family too for discussion on the arrangements to be made for the ensuing Sabarimala pilgrim season.

Being part of the Devaswom board, the high priests at Sabarimala are supposed to attend the meetings convened by the board president. However¸ a decision in this regard would be taken only after discussing the matter with other Tantris, Kandararu Mohanararu and his son Kandararu Mahesh Mohanararu, Mr Rajeevararu said.