A few tense moments prevailed at the Sri Kapaleeswarar temple in the city on Saturday when the temple authorities, allegedly citing an “oral instruction”, denied permission to Ayyappa devotees to conduct the irumudi kattu ceremony. However, the issue ended peacefully when the officials gave in and accorded permission following the intervention of the BJP.
Devotees who had gone to the temple at Mylapore for the irumudi kattu function were shocked when they learnt that the authorities refused to allow it to be held on the temple premises. They immediately informed the BJP office-bearers and sought their help.
A number of BJP members, led by state secretary Vanathi Srinivasan, rushed to the temple and confronted the officials. They questioned the rationale behind such an “order” and even threatened to stage an agitation if the officials failed to allow the function to be conducted.
“They initially stayed the conduct of the function citing oral instructions from their superiors. But, however, towards evening, the temple officials told me that the Ayyappa devotees could conduct the ceremony as in the past,” Ms Vanathi Srinivasan said.
She told this correspondent that every year, a large number of Ayyappa devotees undertook the vow at the temple before embarking on a pilgrimage to Sabarimala. Last year, over 2,000 devotees had participated in the ceremony at the Mylai temple, she added. “The devotees who face space constraint at home hold this function in nearby temples. This is nothing new and the decision to disallow this ancient practice is unwarranted,” she said.