THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Mala Araya tribe, claimed to have established the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple, is divided over the entry of women of all age groups into the hill shrine.
Two prominent organisations of the community will file separate petitions before the Supreme Court over the verdict lifting the age ban on the entry of female devotees into the shrine.
The oldest outfit, the Aikya Thiruvithamkoor Mala Araya Maha Sabha (ATMAMS) formed in the 1950s, will file a review petition before the apex court against its order. It will also seek the reinstatement of the tribe’s rights at the temple.
On the other hand, the Aikya Mala Araya Maha Sabha’s (AMAMS) petition will not oppose women’s entry. However, it will stake claim for the ownership of the Sabarimala temple and three other shrines currently under the Travancore Devaswom Board’s (TDB) control.
“We do not want to question the decision of the Constitution Bench even though allowing women of all ages entry into the shrine is against the community’s beliefs,” said AMAMS general secretary P K Sajeev.
However, ATMAMS functionaries allege AMAMS changed its stand owing to LDF pressure.
“The LDF has assured some facilities for an aided college controlled by AMAMS. For this, they have compromised on the community’s beliefs and devotees’ interests,” said ATMAMS director board member Mohandas Pazhumala. He alleged the change in AMAMS’ stand had risked the prospects of a High Court litigation filed by a joint forum of both the organisations seeking the reinstatement of the community’s rights at Sabarimala.
It is learnt the LDF has assured support to AMAMS to reinstate the latter’s rights at the Sabarimala shrine. The front has asked TDB to conduct a study on this. The organisation’s support will help the LDF and the government to take on those opposing the SC order, including the Pandalam Palace and the tanthri family.
“The debate has taken a new twist — between the tribes and the forward communities. The association with AMAMS has worked well for the Left Front,” said a TDB officer.
AMAMS was formed in 2005 and has 2,000 members, mostly prominent and influential persons in the community. ATMAMS claims to have 30,000 members.
The rights previously enjoyed by the community at Sabarimala included the lighting of the Makaravilakku, abhishekam, appointing a tribesman as oracle and accompanying the return procession of Thiruvabharanam up to Saramkuthy.