Reinstallation of Sabarimala flagpole; new flagpole installed as per Devaprasnam 

PATHANAMTHITTA: Reports say the old flagpole in Sabarimala was reinstalled as per Devaprasnam. The doors were opened for the reinstallation after a Devaprasnam revealed that the flagpole was in poor condition and had been illegally painted. The crucial Devaprasna chart proving this had surfaced. The coating process on top of the flagpole is considered to be inauspicious. The chart also says that there are signs of deterioration. Therefore, the Devaprasnam directed that the flagpole be reinstalled and a new wooden flagpole be installed.

The Devaprasnam was led by Cheruvally Narayanan Namboothiri, Koottanadu Ravunnipanikkar and Thrikkunnapuzha Udayakumar. The Devaprasna was held on June 18 in 2014. The board was led by M P Govindan Nair appointed by the UDF government then. The flagpole was reinstalled in February 2017. Congress leader Prayar Gopalakrishnan was the president of the board at that time. The Vaji Vahanam on the flagpole was then handed over to the Tantri.

The devaswom commissioner had on September 17, 2012, issued an order stating that the old objects in the temples should be kept as the property of the devaswom and no one had the right to take them away. The order was approved by the devaswom board. In 2017, bypassing this, Prayar Gopalakrishnan, the president of the board and Ajay Tharayul, a member, jointly handed over the Vaji Vahanam to the Tantri. The 11 kg Vaji Vahanam made of Panchaloham and covered in pure gold, was seized during a raid from the house of Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru.