Kochi: Kerala High Court on Thursday dismissed the petition filed by Pandalam Royal family seeking permission to use elephant for parade for the Makaravilakku festival in Sabarimala.
Panthalam Kottara Nirvahaka Sanghom and Revathi Nal P. Ramavarma Raja, Valiya Raja of Pandalam Palace, moved Kerala High Court seeking to review its decision to stop elephant parade at Sabarimala during Makaravilakku festival. A Division bench considering Devaswom cases dismissed the pleas.
The court had banned the use of elephants in the festival on a suo motu proceedings initiated by it after an elephant ran amok at Sabarimala resulting in the death of a devotee.
Petitioners sought permission contending that Makaravilakku was the most important festival of Sabarimala and it has been celebrated following ancient traditions.
The ezhunnallathu (procession) of Lord Ayyappa on an elephant, which starts from the Manimandapam, is the most important customary ceremony of the festival. Petitioners sought permission from the court to uphold all the the customary rites, traditions and precedents, which have been followed for centuries.
The court had also sought the opinions of former Sabarimala Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru and present Tantri Kandararu Maheshwararu Mohanararu regarding the use of elephants during the Makaravilakku and the annual festivals.
