The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has decided not to permit devotees to the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple during the monthly rituals in the Malayalam month of Midhunom too in view of the growing public health risk arising out of the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, according to board president N. Vasu.
The board has also decided to defer the 10-day annual festival which was scheduled to be held from June 19 to 28.
Talking to The Hindu, Mr. Vasu said the decision was taken at a meeting convened by Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday.
Sabarimala being a pilgrim centre where people from different parts of South India congregate in large numbers, the risk involved in throwing the holy hillock open for devotees at this juncture was very high.
Earlier, the TDB, in consultation with the Tantri, had decided to conduct the temple festival this month as the situation was not that scary then, he said.
The Minister said the government was keen on ensuring the safety of the people, especially at a time when the pandemic situation had turned worse in neighbouring States. The State too had started witnessing considerable increase in the number of cases as Keralaites had started returning home from other parts of the country and abroad.
‘No differences’
Tantri Kandararu Maheswararu Mohanararu told The Hindu that there was no differences between him and the board authorities over the conduct of the temple festival.
Mr Mohanararu said it was he who had given the dates for conducting the festival and the board decision came at a time when the situation was not alarming.
Centre’s directive
The Minister said the government decision to open places of worship was taken following a directive issued by the Centre in this regard. However, the case of Sabarimala had been taken considered separately in consultation with the temple Tantri and the board.
The temple will open on Sunday afternoon for the five-day monthly rituals to be held from June 15 to 19.
Only routine rites will be performed on these days. Devotees may book their offerings to the deity online, he said.