Vrischikolsavam gets going in Kochi amid doubts over elephant parades
KOCHI: With the Vrischikolsavam of Tripunithura Sree Poornathrayeesa temple all set to commence on Friday, restrictions imposed by the Kerala High Court on elephant parades have created confusion among devotees.
However, temple devaswom officer Reghuraman clarified that the elephant parades will be conducted with 15 pachyderms, in adherence to the High Court directive.
Vrischikolsavam marks the beginning of the festival season in Kerala, and the temple town will be abuzz round the clock during the eight-day festival, where elephant parades, percussion ensemble performances and cultural programmes will attract devotees from across the state.
The temple will parade 15 elephants during siveli in the morning and vilakku in the evening, to the accompaniment of melam.
On Thursday, the HC declined to interfere on an application filed by the Cochin Devaswom Board (CDB) seeking exemption from the mandatory 3m distance between elephants for parades. CDB plans to restrict the entry of devotees through the main entrance during the parades so that the entire area in front of the sanctum sanctorum can be utilised to ensure 3m distance between the animals.
Meanwhile, the palace administration board has approached the HC pointing out that elephant parades are part of the rituals and that temple ceremonies must be continued as per the covenant signed by the Union of India and the rulers of Travancore and Cochin in 1949.
S Anujan, president of the board, said siveli and vilakku have being conducted with 15 elephants for the past 200 years. Rituals like thriketta purapadu are religiously important and are conducted with 14 elephants accompanying the elephant carrying the idol of the deity.
Renjith Thampan, representing the board, said there is no scientific data to back the determining of the distance between two elephants at 3m. The order is not applicable for traditional rituals and ceremonies of the Poornathrayeesa temple.
Citing the examples of the Mysuru Dasara festival, Republic Day Parade and Jaipur festival where elephants are paraded, he argued that there is no rule mandating a minimum 3m distance between the animals.
Responding to the HC directive, Hindu Aikya Vedi state president R V Babu said CBD and elected representatives should approach the Supreme Court to remove curbs imposed on temple festivals in the name of animal rights. “We don’t understand why restrictions are being repeatedly imposed on rituals and practices associated with temple festivals.
Last year, the restrictions affected the smooth conduct of Thrissur Pooram. If the court is concerned about cruelty to elephants, it is surprising why they are not worried about violations during festivals of other communities. Animal-rights organisations also concern themselves with just temple festivals,” he said.
Welcoming the HC ruling, animal-rights activist M N Jayachandran said all religious institutions should organise festivals in keeping with the order. Festivals are occasions for celebration and they should not pose harm to human life and property.
Elephant parades are not an unavoidable custom for temple festivals, said Heritage Animal Task Force secretary V K Venkitachalam. The HC guidelines have been issued taking into consideration the safety of the public and health of elephants, he added.