Thiruvananthapuram: The arrest of Kandararu Rajeevaru, the chief priest (Tantri) of Kerala’s famed Sabarimala temple, in reference to a gold loss case, has turned the highlight as soon as once more on the traditional ‘Thazhamon Madom’.
That is the priestly household that has guided the rituals of Lord Ayyappa’s abode for generations, a lineage revered for its antiquity however no stranger to turbulent occasions.
The Thazhamon household’s roots run deep and are related to the legend of Lord Parasurama. The household is predicated in Chengannur in Alappuzha.
They’re thought of amongst Kerala’s earliest tantric households, overseeing a number of main historical temples, together with the Lord Shiva temples at Ettumanoor and Chengannur.
The very idol of Lord Ayyappa worshipped at the moment was put in by a Thazhamon tantri in 1951. The title “Kandararu,” prefixed to their names, is itself a legacy believed to be bestowed by the sage Parasurama.
At Sabarimala, the tantri’s presence is essential–for the temple’s opening, for all main ceremonies. The every day prayers are carried out by the top priest (Melshanti), however below the guiding authority of the tantri. But, this venerable place has been clouded by controversy earlier than.
Rajeevaru will not be the primary from the household to face severe allegations.
In 2006, one other tantri, Kandararu Mohanaru, was faraway from his place by the temple administration board (Travancore Devaswom Board).
He was embroiled in a scandal the place he was allegedly threatened at gunpoint and robbed by a intercourse racketeer in Kochi. Although a court docket later cleared him of fees in 2012, the harm to his position was accomplished.
Widespread rumours had taken their toll, and he was by no means reinstated to the highly effective Sabarimala position.
Now, with Rajeevaru’s arrest–coming as the traditional temple was gearing up for the auspicious Makarajyoti festival–the historical past of this priestly household is being revisited– a historical past the place deep non secular custom intersects with very human frailties and modern-day investigations.
The devoted are watching intently because the guardians of Lord Ayyappa’s rituals navigate one other storm, their historical legacy as soon as once more examined within the public eye.
