The Hindu : Temple incidents expose TDB's shortcomings

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 16, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Temple incidents expose TDB's shortcomings
By Radhakrishnan Kuttoor

PATHANAMTHITTA, MARCH 15. The untoward incidents that rocked the small temple town of Malayalappuzha in Pathanamthitta district on Thursday, which had left over 75 people injured, have exposed certain serious flaws in the functioning of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) as well as the State police.

The manner in which the Devaswom Commissioner, C. P. Nair, as well as the police officials dealt with such a sensitive issue had evoked large-scale criticism from different quarters.

The TDB had decided to conduct a `satakoti archana' at the Malayalappuzha Devi Temple from March 31 following the grand success of the `dasalaksha archana' organised by the Temple Advisory Committee (TAC) a few months ago.

Moreover, the TDB had been giving wide publicity to the proposed ritual both inside the State and in the neighbouring States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh through display of large cut-outs, circulating notices and brochures containing the puja details and sale of coupons.

However, it is learnt that an `unexpected twist' in the TDB stand on the conduct of the ritual because of its hefty financial commitments, estimated at around Rs. 7.5 crores, has evoked resentment among the devotees as well the TAC.

Meanwhile, there were allegations that certain top quarters in the TDB had taken a `negative' approach towards conducting such a `highly expensive' ritual and had even suggested to review the TDB's earlier decision to bear its entire expenses.

There were also reports that the Devaswom Commissioner had opposed the TDB's financial commitment for the proposed ritual involving a total expenditure of over Rs. 7.5 crores at a TDB meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. He had even reportedly suggested to replace the ritual with a `laksh archana' or a `koti archana'.

The administrative officer at Malayalappuzha, V. S. Suresh Kumar, who had reportedly taken the initiative for the ritual too was among those who had attended the meeting.

There were allegations that the ritual had been unnecessarily made a centre of controversy by certain vested interests in the TDB. Talking to The Hindu here today, the TDB president said that it was Mr. Suresh, who had proposed the `satakoti archana' to the Board which had accorded a formal sanction for the same, later.

However, he said that the TDB had to seek sanction from the Kerala High Court before embarking on any such projects and Mr. Suresh was yet to submit a detailed estimate report to the Board despite he being asked to do so.

It is alleged that Mr. Suresh had been making elaborate arrangements for the ritual, without even taking the TAC into confidence. It is also alleged that Mr. Suresh had even kept the Board in the dark on the arrangements he had made for the ritual.

There were reports that a team of TDB officials had even visited certain parts of Tamil Nadu seeking financial assistance for the ritual and the TDB chief said that he was not at all aware of any such things.

The Devaswom Commissioner had stated at Malayalappuzha on Thursday that he was not aware of the ritual until he came across some of its posters and cut-outs in Thiruvananthapuram a few days ago. Mr. Nair's statement had irked the local people waiting outside the temple hall and they had locked the TDB team in it demanding a written assurance on a stamp paper from the commissioner on the smooth conduct of the ritual as scheduled.

Mr. Nair, who first refused to give in, later had written it on a white paper which the mob rejected saying that they want it on a stamp paper, leaving the situation in total mess.

It is noteworthy that the TDB had resolved to conduct the `satakoti archana' (Order No: ROC 15940/01) way back on January 8, 2002. Moreover, the TDB had already started selling the archana coupons of rates ranging from Rs. 50 to Rs. 1 lakh at the Malayalappuzha temple for the last few weeks.

The TAC president, Malayalappuzha Gopalakrishnan, and the secretary, Harishchandran, alleged that the Devaswom AO's actions were apprehensive and he had not even taken the TAC or the devotees into confidence while making arrangements for the ritual.

The TDB had already erected a large thatched shed that could house about 2,500 priests to perform the pujas. Work on another shed to accommodate 2,500 priests was fast progressing at a nearby compound, the TAC members said.

Police action

Police help was reportedly sought by the TDB Vigilance SP, Janardhanan Nair, when the local people began to congregate in front of the temple `sadyalayam' on Thursday forenoon. However, there were allegations that the police action at Malayalappuzha was unwarranted.

The Circle Inspector, Joseph Champakkulam, told presspersons that the police had to burst 24 teargas shells and open fire in the air three rounds to disperse the mob and release the TDB officials from detention.

However, the Dy.SP, R. Ramachandran Nair, denied of any police firing, saying that the people had mistaken the teargas shell bursting as firing shots.

A large number of people believe that the entire unpleasant episodes that the small temple town had witnessed on Thursday could have been avoided, had the TDB officials and the police applied a little wisdom and sense of duty.

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