Devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran wants bloody ritual to stop
Mr Surendran said that there were complaints that the temple was a centre for many such rituals which had the support of a communal outfit.
Thiruvananthapuram: Devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran on Wednesday asked the police and district administration to prevent the ritual of bathing the idol of a temple with human blood.
He also took to Facebook to warn against attempts to ‘bring back primitive rituals and customs’ to Kerala society by the temple in the district.
"It’s not only a disgrace but also dangerous,” he said, responding to a notice of the Deviyod Sree Vidwayari Vaidyanandha temple committee for blood to bathe the Kali idol. It plans to collect blood using disposable syringes in small quantities from devotees for the ritual between March 12 and 23.
Mr Surendran said that there were complaints that the temple was a centre for many such rituals which had the support of a communal outfit.
He urged people to come out against such primitive customs. The temple Thantri Manikandan said the trust did not mind stopping the ritual if done after a proper scientific study. “There should also be a public debate," he said.
“The trust doesn’t collect a penny. Trustees, who all are well educated, fund the ritual and they include Muslims and Christians." He claimed rituals were in place here from the time of the Atharva Veda and it was based on the Saktheya tradition. "The base of the ritual is scientific and had medical applications as described in the texts of Sushruta and Charaka," he said.