Thiruvananthapuram: PWD minister G Sudhakaran on Saturday slammed Sabarimala Tantri Kantararu Rajeevaru for threatening to shut down the temple if women in the restricted age group of 10 and50 arrive for darshan.
The minister said the Tantri spoke about closing down the temple with the triviality of shutting shop during hartal. The developments that took place in Sabarimala is the beginning of the destruction of priesthood. They (Tantris) have themselves have sounded the death knell of the feudal priesthood,” he said.
Mr Sudhakaran said the Kerala society sho-uld discuss the issues related to Sabarimala. “There is no need to check the history of those going to temple. It is disappointing that those who went there could not have darshan,” he said.
He came down heavily on the parikarmis who observed prayer protest in front of the “holy steps” against the att-empt of women to enter the temple. Parikarmis are priests of smaller temples who are called in to help the main priests performing poojas and rituals. Since they are not regular employees of the devaswom board, notices were issued to the Thantri, melsanthi, keezhsanthi and Malikapuram melsanthi.
“You might have noticed none of those parikarmis were wearing shirt. I had taken a stand earlier that these parikarmis should be made to put on shirts,” he said.
Devaswom Board member K.P. Sankara Das said they never expected the tanthris to take such a decision. “We know them so well. They are experienced and have always preserved the spiritual aura of temple. I have known Rajeevaru since many years. I don’t expect them to take such extreme step as they occupy the position of guru and they are the ones who control the rituals,” he said.
He said the statement might have been made under certain peculiar circumstances. But the priests should never resort to agitation or close the temple, handover the keys to someone and leave the place. This is unexpected of them.
Sankara Das said the High Court had earlier directed that temples should not be turned into venues of agitation. If similar protests as the one carried out by parikarmis are organised, it would be contempt of court .
