Stressing that the tribal Malayarayan community had the sole right to light the Makaravilakku at Ponnambalamedu, the Malayarayan Samyuktha Samithi (MSS) demanded the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) to restore their right to light the lamp.
The MSS said that the denial of their rights to light the lamp at Ponnambalamedu by TDB was against the traditional ritualistic practices and goes against the belief of the community.
MSS chairman P K Bhaskaran alleged that TDB had driven them out of Ponnambalamedu and its surrounding hills and destroyed the purity and sanctity of this tradition.
As part of their agitation, the Malayarayan community lit a symbolic Makaravilakku in front of the Secretariat. MSS president T V Babu and Samithi coordinator N Sreenivasan were among other leaders who were present.
He said that the right of the community to light the Makaravilakku at Ponnambalamedu was acknowledged by tantri Kandararu Maheswararu, Pandalam Raja Visakham Thirunal P Rama Varma and various other Hindu organisations.
The members of the Malayarayan tribal community had been performing the deeparadhana ritual at Ponnambalamedu for centuries together to appease Lord Ayyappa.
“Though a discussion was held with the Devaswom Board on January 11 on this issue, the Board has asked us to approach the court. In a High Court observation, it had been mentioned earlier that the light at Ponnambalamedu was lit by the tribal community. But the Board is yet to endorse this fact,” he said.