Sabarimala, Kerala – A big gathering of Ayyappa devotees organized by the Travancore Devaswom Board drew sharp criticism on Saturday, despite its aim to celebrate the temple’s Platinum Jubilee and boost its tradition of secular spirituality and inclusive worship.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan showed up at the event along the scenic Pampa River banks, joined by Velappally Natesan, head of the influential Ezhava group Sree Narayana Paripalana Sangom. Other Hindu community leaders and nine of Vijayan’s cabinet ministers attended too. The venue could hold about 3,500 people, but plenty of seats stayed empty, signaling lukewarm turnout.
Vijayan faced backlash from the Congress and BJP, who slammed the congregation as a political stunt to win votes ahead of local body and Assembly elections. The chief minister pushed back, explaining the idea didn’t pop up suddenly. “Devotees from places like Malaysia and Singapore kept asking for more global spotlight on Sabarimala,” he said. “They worried about tough travel for the Irumudikettu pilgrimage and held meetings to find fixes – that’s what sparked this global meet-up.”
He highlighted the ongoing Sabarimala Master Plan, kicked off in 2011 and now speeding up with over Rs 1,000 crore in projects. These upgrades target key spots like Sannidhanam, Pampa, trekking paths, and base camps such as Nilakkal. “By 2050, we want to turn Sabarimala into a top-notch world-class spiritual destination,” Vijayan added.
Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan didn’t hold back. “This sudden affection for Sabarimala doesn’t fit the Pinarayi Vijayan we all know,” he said. “He sounded like a pretend devotee, all for the upcoming polls.” State Congress chief K. Sudhakaran, also a senior legislator, called it a shame that four kilograms of gold from the famous temple has vanished, with everyone demanding answers on its whereabouts.
Invites went out to several chief ministers and big leaders, but only two from Tamil Nadu – Ministers P.K. Sekarbabu and Palanivel Thiaga Rajan – made it. The day wasn’t without hitches. After Vijayan’s long opening speech, he slipped out while State Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan spoke. Later, confusion hit the stage when Sekarbabu addressed the crowd, but Rajan got skipped at first. Rajan started to leave in frustration, only for a Devaswom Board official to chase him down and bring him back.
The full-day program includes seminars on Sabarimala traditions and devotee issues, but one big no-show was the Pandalam Royal family, long tied to the temple’s history. Satheesan also mocked the event’s promotion, noting hoardings featured Vijayan’s photo but skipped any mention of the temple or the Devaswom Board that runs it.
As Kerala politics heats up around Sabarimala pilgrimage and temple management, the congregation highlights ongoing debates over faith, development, and election strategies.
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