Mohanlal’s vehicle allowed inside Guruvayur, court pulls up temple

The Kerala High Court, on June 21, directed the Guruvayur Devaswom Managing Committee to ensure that any restrictions imposed regarding entry into the Nalambalam of the Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple were not being flouted by any person, including members of the Managing Committee, the Administrator or former Devaswom officers. The court also observed that the vehicle of actor Mohanlal was allowed entry into the temple via the northern gate on September 9, 2021, along with Mallissery Paramesan Namboothiripad, a member of the Managing Committee, in another vehicle. The incident had kicked up a controversy on social media at the time.

The Nalambalam is a square-shaped pillared hall present inside temples, whose outer wall has a gallery of oil lamps. Noting that none of those who entered the Nalambalam, where entry is not allowed, were stopped by the temple security personnel, the court stated that while the “Right to worship is a civil right” it should be “in an accustomed manner and subject to the practice and tradition in each temple”.

The court also came down heavily on the Managing Committee for allowing the vehicles of a “class of worshippers” into the temple through the Nadapanthal, and directed the committee to immediately stop the practice. Nadapanthal is the rest area in each temple, where devotees can wait before or after worship.

Justices Anil K Narendran and PG Ajithkumar passed the order while hearing a suo motu case based on a letter written by the Administrator of the temple to the Registrar General of the court, stating that the former Administrator, SV Sesir, along with committee members K Ajith and K Shaji, entered the Nalambalam of the temple on April 14 last year for Vishukani darshan, in violation of COVID-19 restrictions.

The court also strongly deprecated the Managing Committee’s lack of action on the entry of the above mentioned persons, which amounts to failure in discharging its statutory duties. Further, the Justices directed the committee to ensure that all the rules regarding entry into the Nalambalam of the temple are followed and “are not being flouted by any member of the Managing Committee, the Administrator, former officers of Guruvayur Devaswom or any worshipper.”