THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple administrative committee will hold a meeting with the ‘Onavillu’ family to discuss giving them larger orders to make the traditional bows for next year. For over two years now, they have been asked to make only six pairs to be given as an offering to Lord Sreepadmanabha, while the rest are made at the temple by artisans not connected with the family. Vaniyamoola Vilayil family from Karamana came to be known as the ‘Onavillu’ family, especially as they have been making the Thiruvonam day offering for over 300 years now.
However, around two years ago, the temple stopped giving them orders to make ‘Onavillu’ for believers. They say that this is not just unfair, but illegal. “We own the ‘Onavillu’ trademark and traditionally have the right to make the bows,” says Binkumar, the eldest of the brothers in the seventh generation. The temple administration decided to involve others as the family of artisans could not handle the huge orders from the public, says V. Ratheeshan, temple administrative officer. “We have received representations in support of them.
We will examine their issues. From what I learnt, even while employing around 24 people for over a year, we could not make more than a 1000 bows. So a handful of family members may not be able to supply a huge order. We hope to make the bows more popular, as it is unique to Thiruvananthapuram. So we will meet to discuss both the temple’s interests and their rights,” he says. The person making the ‘Onavillu’ needs to follow a strict 41-day ‘vrata’, according to Binkumar. Moreover, painting the Mahogany bows need to follow certain rituals, which cannot be hurried, he says.
