THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Travancore Devaswom Board has called for the state government's intervention to resolve issues related to the Mangaladevi Temple in the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Idukki.
The board has informed the government it is ready to renovate the temple and start daily poojas at the forest shrine. TDB will also place the request with the Devaswom Bench of the Kerala High Court.
TDB president A Padmakumar said the Tamil Nadu Government is creating an unnecessary controversy over the ownership of the temple. "The temple belongs to Kerala and the Travancore Devaswom Board. But owing to the issues raised by Tamil Nadu, TDB is unable to renovate the temple or start poojas," he said.
Padmakumar protested the exclusion of TDB from a meeting convened by the Idukki and Theni Collectors to discuss the Chitra Pournami festival at the shrine. "Last year, the Tamil Nadu Government denied food and water to Kerala pilgrims who reached the shrine to attend the festival. This year, TDB has made arrangements to provide free food," he said.
The festival, which falls on April 30, is expected to be attended by thousands of devotees.
Padmakumar said TDB will renovate the temple in consultation with the departments of Archaeology, Revenue, Forest, Devaswom and the Tamil Nadu Government.