Donkeys at Sabarimala Temple have more grace than head-priest: Kerala Minister

Kerala's PWD Minister slammed the Sabarimala temple tantri (head-priest) on Sunday. CPI-M leader G. Sudhakaran said that the donkeys in the temple town have more grace. He further said that they (tantri) do not appear to have any attachment or concern towards Lord Ayyappa. 

The CPI-M leader, who is known for his blunt nature said the aforementioned statement at an inaugural speech at a cultural event, “At the temple town, it is the donkeys that do most of the work. Till date, they have not gone on any protest. After their hard work, they take rest near the Pamba river. These donkeys have more grace than the tantri.” 

The CPI-M leader seems to be upset with the Sabarimala Temple's tantri family after they had threatened to close down the temple in case a woman of age group 10-50 comes to the shrine to pray following a Supreme Court verdict. 

The Supreme Court's verdict paved the way for the entry of women to Kerala's Sabarimala temple, has extensively delved into the history of the mythological figure lord Ayyappa and the evolution of the hill-top shrine as also its strict "vratham" or penance undertaken before the pilgrimage.

Justice Chandrachud, in his separate but concurring verdict, has dealt with the birth of Lord Ayyappa, his life in a royal palace, the origin of the hill-top shrine, the distinct features of the pilgrimage including the deep penance, celibacy and abstinence to be undertaken by the devotees.

"Although there are numerous Ayyappa Temples in India, the Sabarimala Temple depicts Lord Ayyappa as a Naishtika Brahmacharya: his powers derive specifically from abstention from sexual activities," Justice Chandrachud noted.

The members of Kantararu family only hold the tantric rights of the Sabarimala temple. The present chief tantri is Kantararu Rajeevaru and it was he who made the offending remark. At the temple town, donkeys carry most goods from the base camp at Pamba to the hill temple.

Sabarimala Temple chief priest, Kandararu Rajeevaru, expressing displeasure over the apex court’s ruling said, “The Supreme Court only cares about the law, it does not care about the customs and traditions. I stand by the old customs and tradition,” he told ANI. The chief priest had also said that if a woman in the age group 10 to 50 enters the hill shrine, then he would shut down the temple gates.