GURUVAYUR: Various temple ritual scholars and researchers have opined that the use of fireworks during temple festivals in Kerala is not an essential ritual component, but rather a practice that gradually entered temple celebrations over time in the name of festivity. In the wake of repeated accidents and fatalities, they say the time has come to seriously reconsider such customs.
Guruvayur temple tantri Chennas Dinesan Namboothiripad said that many practices not mentioned in authoritative texts on temple rituals, including Tantrasamuchayam, have over time come to be treated as temple customs in the name of celebration.
The use of fireworks is one such practice, he said. He further said that this custom has already claimed many lives and has repeatedly proven impossible to conduct without risk. The cruel and horrific scenes of death, he said, should compel society to engage in serious introspection.
Temple ritual researcher Sainath Valluvanad said that the offering of “Kathina Vedi” (traditional explosive salutes) to local deities is a custom seen in various parts of Kerala, and that many temples are known for this offering. However, he questioned whether the large and colourful fireworks displays seen today are truly for the deity or for the crowds that gather to watch temple festivals. The answer, he said, is clear: they are for the people.
He explained that in many temple festivals, people traditionally came to know that rituals had concluded when the kathina firecrackers were burst, making it a form of public announcement. Over time, small explosive offerings evolved into elaborate fireworks displays.
According to him, matters have now shifted from devotion to rivalry. Fireworks events are increasingly promoted under titles such as “the world’s largest” or “Asia’s biggest” display. Attending a festival, he said, has in many cases become synonymous with going to watch fireworks. While such spectacles may bring joy and attract visitors from around the world, the real burden and consequences are borne by the workers who labour to stage them.
Acharyan Shaji Varavoor said that when a practice continues for hundreds of years, it naturally becomes perceived by the public as a tradition. That is why some people consider fireworks an inseparable part of temple festivals.