KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Friday asked whether the Cochin Devaswom Board can change the name of a ritual practised in Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple, Tripunithura. A division bench comprising Justice Anil K Narendran and Justice P G Ajith Kumar sought the explanation from the board on the suo motu proceedings pertaining to the ritual being conducted in the temple. The board had informed the court that soon after the controversy over the ritual ‘Kalkazhukichoottu’, a meeting was convened and it decided to rename the ‘vazhipadu’ as ‘Samaradhana’.
When the case came up for hearing, the bench asked whether the name can be changed. The counsel for the board replied that there is no change in the ritual, but only the name has been changed. The court observed that immediately after the news report of this appeared, opinions were aired from various corners that the practice had to be stopped. That was one of the intentions in initiating the suo motu proceedings on the issu e. The news report alleged that devotees of the temple were made to wash the feet of 12 Brahmins as a part of the Panthrandu Namaskaram.
The Sree Raghavapuram Sabha Yogam, which impleaded in the case, said the board’s move to rename the ritual is not at all acceptable. The Thantri Samajam is only an organisation of certain thantris of several temples and they have no right to change the name of a ritual that is being followed for long on the whims and fancies of some people. The wrong interpretation of Kalkazhukichoottu was with some ulterior motive.