PATHANAMTHITTA: Sabarimala, the hill shrine revered by millions, has once again taken the centre stage in Kerala’s political discourse. Close on the heels of the LDF government organising the Global Ayyappa Sangamam in Pampa, BJP-backed Hindu organisations are set to mount a counter programme, signalling a fresh churn in the state’s political landscape.
The Sabarimala Samrakshana Sangamam, billed as a parallel congregation, will be inaugurated on Monday by former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai in Pandalam, a town linked with Ayyappa lore and one of the few civic bodies under BJP’s control.
Earlier, the organisers had said that they were trying to bring Union Home Minister Amit Shah or Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to the event.
Now, Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, former state police chief T P Senkumar, Justice M R Hariharan Nair and Vishwa Hindu Parishad state president Viji Thampi are among the invited dignitaries, according to organisers. Narayana Varma, a member of Pandalam royal family, is also among the invitees.
10,000 people will attend: Hindu Aikyavedi
Hindu Aikyavedi, Ayyappa Seva Samajam, VHP among other Hindu outfits will participate in the Sabarimala Samrakshana Sangamam.
According to Hindu Aikyavedi spokesperson E S Biju, representatives from over 120 community organisations will attend the event, along with members of the Sabarimala thantri family and 25 Hindu monks. The proceedings will begin with a seminar on ‘Devotion, Development, and Safety at Sabarimala’, in which around 1,000 delegates are expected to participate. He also claimed that over 10,000 people will participate in the gathering.
The Global Ayyappa Sangamam held on Saturday, where Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan quoted from the Bhagavad Gita to underscore the shrine’s inclusive values, is seen as part of the ruling front’s bid to reconnect with Hindu voters.
Despite concerns over turnout, the event succeeded in bringing leaders of the SNDP Yogam and NSS onto a common platform.
The BJP, meanwhile, is shifting focus to its own Ayyappa meeting in Pandalam as it seeks to consolidate support among devotees. Pandalam holds both symbolic significance in Ayyappa’s lore and political importance for the BJP, which won control of the municipality in the 2020 local body polls and retained neighbouring Kulanada panchayat.
The position of the Pandalam royal family adds another layer of complexity. While the family stayed away from the Global Ayyappa Sangamam, citing bereavements, its management committee reiterated two long-standing demands: withdrawal of cases linked to the 2018 protests and assurances that temple traditions will remain safeguarded.
Analysts point to a softened tone compared to the family’s hardline stance seven years ago, a factor that may temper the BJP’s ability to mobilise support as effectively as in the past.
The Thantri Samajam and Yogakshema Sabha have voiced similar demands and are expected to participate in Monday’s counter-meeting in Pandalam. With shifting loyalties and changing positions among key stakeholders, the Sangh parivar is navigating a more complex terrain than it did in 2018.