Rahul issue: HC turns down Thantri’s plea

 Tuesday, 20 December 2011: Kerala High Court today turned down the plea by the “Thanthri” (traditional high priest) Kandararu Maheshwaru to permit his grandson Rahul Eashwar to assist him in performing rituals at the ‘Sreekovil’ (sanctum sanctorum) of the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala.
In an interim order, a division bench comprising justice Thothathil B Radhakrishanan and justice C T Ravikumar issued notice to the Thantri by a special messenger. The bench said ‘we take this course to ascertain the crediblity of the complaint from the Thantri’. Before the commencement of the pilgrim season, the Thantri had given a list of persons to assist him which was approved by the court.
The bench directed that those persons alone could assist him subject to further orders. Maheshwaru had filed a complaint to the court by courier stating that the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the Ayyappa temple, had not permitted him to utilise the services of Eashwar, son of his daughter, to assist him.
If Thantri stood by his complaint, he should inform it through executive officer of the temple, the bench held. The court also directed the TDB to file an affidavit explaining its views in the matter.
The TDB officials had prevented Rahul Eashwar from entering the ‘Sreekovil’ to assist the thantri few days ago. As per the shrine’s age-old customs only the Thanthri, his sons or other descendants by male lineage were allowed to perform rituals in the “Sreekovil”, where the idol of Lord Ayyappa is installed.