THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a setback to Malabar Devaswom Board, KV Sreejesh Namboodiri has been reinstated as the chief priest of Valliyoorkavu temple at Mananthavady in Wayanad by the Kerala High Court.
Sreejesh took charge of the temple recently. Express was the first to report the plight of Sreejesh who was suspended by the temple management for his failure to give prasadam to Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran, that too a year after the incident. The suspension notice issued by the temple management on March 8, 2019, said Sreejesh committed the lapse when Kadakampally visited the temple on March 25 last year during the annual festival.
The priest’s suspension had evoked sharp criticism from the believers against Kadakampally and MDB president OK Vasu. The HC on March 28 ordered to reinstate the priest. But a local resident owing allegiance to the temple management obtained a status quo order from a division bench. The division bench later ruled in favour of the priest following which the management allowed him to rejoin.
‘Not a deliberate act’
Sreejesh had then told Express he did not disrespect the Minister deliberately. According to him, the Minister came during the oppana varavu, an important ritual associated with the festival. Though he had a glance of the Minister while closing the sanctum sanctorum, he couldn’t reopen the door since it was against the custom. The oppana varavu involves bringing some valuables from another temple situated at Kallodi, about 12 km away. On the festival’s 10th day, the priest heads to Kallodi temple in special attire and comes back the following day with the valuables.
As per the custom, the priest has to walk to and fro. At some places, he would also run. The Minister came to the temple when Sreejesh just entered the sanctum after the long trek.