Cochin Devaswom tells Kerala HC no devotee washed 12 Brahmins' feet at Tripunithura temple; says 'thantri' does it under a ritual

The Board clarified that it is the 'thantri' (head priest), who wash the feet of 12 pujaris of Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple, in connection with the 'Panthrandu Namaskaram' ritual.
Kerala High Court (Photo| A Sanesh/EPS)
Kerala High Court (Photo| A Sanesh/EPS)

KOCHI: The Cochin Devaswom Board on Friday informed the Kerala High Court that the news report alleging devotees at the Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple, Tripunithura, were made to wash the feet of 12 Brahmins for the atonement of sins was incorrect.

The Board clarified that it is the 'thantri' (head priest), who wash the feet of 12 pujaris of Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple, in connection with the 'Panthrandu Namaskaram' ritual.

The Board also decided to rename the 'vazhipadu' (offering) at the temples to 'samaradhana', it was informed.

When the suo motu proceedings on the ritual being conducted in the Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple came up for hearing, Advocate K P Sudheer submitted that the news report is against the relevant provisions of the Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act as well as the practice being followed in Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple. As per Section 73 A of the Act it is the duty of the Board to see that the regular traditional rites are performed strictly according to the practice prevalent in the religious institution, it said.

The rituals and ceremonies in the temple of Sree Poornathrayeesa at Tripunithura are "trite law" but they shall continue to be executed as adhered to under the Ruler of Cochin, the counsel said.

As per this, the devotees are not made to wash the feet of Brahmins in the 'Panthrandu Namaskaram' ritual in Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple. It is the 'thantri', who wash the feet of 12 pujaris of Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple, in connection with the ritual, the Board had earlier said on February 8.

Earlier, based on the news report, the state government had sought clarifications from the Devaswom Board. Then the Board asked the Assistant Commissioner, Tripunithura Devaswom, and the Devaswom officer to find the fact of the matter. Apart from that, the Cochin Devaswom Board convened a meeting with the members of Akhila Thanthri Samajam on February 11, and in terms of the meeting a decision was taken to rename 'vazhipadu' as 'samaradhana', it was informed. The decision was also communicated to the state government.

Meanwhile, the Sree Raghavapuram Sabhayogam and All Kerala Tanthri Mandalam also approached the court seeking to get themselves to implead in the suo motu case. A Division Bench comprising Justice Anil K Narendran and Justice PG Ajith Kumar allowed the petitions. The court will hear the case on March 4.

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