By Express News Service
PATHANAMTHITTA: The Akhila Kerala Thantri Mandalam has flayed the Government stance on the entry of women in the age group of 10 to 50 years in Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple.
Thantri Mandalam at the state executive committee meeting chaired by president V R Nampoothiri the other day pointed out that temple was not a public place instead the home of the deity. The final word on the location of the temple, idol installation ceremony and the customs and practices of the temple would be vested with the temple thantri , Thantri mandalam general secretary S Radhakrishnan Potti said in a statement.
The devotees or others do not have any other role or power on the temple customs and practices but only to worship, Radhakrishnan Potti said. The decision on the temple customs and practices, including " nivedyam " to the deity, would be on the basis of the books on Hindus, including Thantrasaram, Saradathilakom and Thantrasamuchayam, having a history of 800 years, whereas the legislation with a period of about 70 years, he said. The present customs and practices of the temple were drawn mainly from the book "Thantrisamuchayam", he said.
The stance on Sabarimala temple case and the controversy connected with a book proved that the State Government was not siding with the victim but with the hunter. The controversy over the ongoing customs and practices of Sabarimala temple is against the sentiments of crores of devotees and religious beliefs, he said.
