THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Determined to fully cash in on the Ayodhya sentiment ahead of the general election, the Sangh Parivar in Kerala aims to cover 35-50 lakh houses in the state with distribution of ‘Akshat’ (worshipped rice) from the Ram temple by January 15. The parivar organisations, including RSS, VHP, Hindu Aikya Vedi, BJP, Sevabharathi and BMS, began the initiative on January 1.
VHP state president Viji Thampi is the lone leader scheduled to attend the consecration representing Sangh organisations in the state. As many as 26 seers representing different mutts, including Mata Amritanandamayi, Swami Chidanandapuri, Swami Udit Chaithanya, Swami Amritaswarupananda Puri, Swami Viviktananda and Swami Brahmaswaroopananda, are expected to take part in the ceremony.
Other prominent invitees include actor Mohanlal, director Priyadarshan, SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan, NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair, thantri of Guruvayur temple Chennas Dineshan Namboodiripad and that of Sabarimala temple Kandaru Rajeevaru, in addition to some business magnates and few Padma award winners.
“They were invited by the temple trust,” Viji Thampi told TNIE. “Invitation has been extended to individuals who had donated more than Rs 1 crore. The priests will be brought to Ayodhya by the Margdarshak Mandal, the organisation of priests under VHP”, he said.
RSS workers and leaders who have been actively participating in the distribution of ‘Akshath’ are jubilant at the reception they are receiving from people. “We are receiving great response from people,” RSS prantha karyavahak P N Easwaran told TNIE.
“People are receiving each group with utmost pleasure. We visit all houses. We even visited Devaswom Minister K Radhakrishnan’s house and handed over Akshath, a leaflet about Ayodhya and photo of the Ram temple. We want to cover at least 35 lakh houses by January 15. To achieve this, Sangh Parivar workers will cover 15 lakh houses on January 14,” he said.
Although no RSS leader is taking part in the January 22 ceremony, the organisation will bring 2,000 contingents of its workers and their families, who have participated in the Karseva in 1990 and 1992. Hindu Aikya Vedi, which spearheaded the Sabarimala protests in 2018, is actively participating in the programme. “We saw more acceptance now from people compared to Ramasila pooja function in 1990s,” said Hindu Aikya Vedi state president K P Sasikala.
Many politicians who used to oppose our politics received us cordially. We did not receive any negative signs from anywhere,” she said.
Difference of opinion within Sivagiri Mutt
The Sangh Parivar invite extended to the Sivagiri Mutt has created a difference within the Mutt. Swami Sachidananda, president of Sivagiri Mutt, told TNIE that none from the Mutt takes part in temple ceremonies outside the purview of Sivagiri Mutt. “Whether it is the consecration of Lord Ram, Krishna or Jesus, the mutt has just one position. Our work is centred on Sree Narayana Guru. We only participate in ceremonies in temples consecrated by Guru, temples where Guru is worshipped and others related with Guru,” he said.
Meanwhile, Swami Brahmaswaroopananda, head of Sree Gurunarayana Ashram in Thrissur which comes under the Sivagiri Mutt, confirmed to TNIE that he received the invite, and would like to attend the consecration ceremony. When asked about the opinion made by Swami Sachidananda, he said: “The invite is for individuals. But when I attend the ceremony, naturally, I will be treated as a member of the Sivagiri Mutt,” he said.