Krishnanattam Vesham student faces corporal punishment at Guruvayur Devaswom Temple Kalanilayam

GURUVAYUR: The Devaswom governing body has suspended two Asans after a ten-year-old boy, who was training in the Krishnanattam vesham section, was subjected to corporal punishment at the Guruvayur Devaswom Temple Kalanalayam. MV Unnikrishnan and Murali, who are vesham Asans, were suspended by the Devaswom governing body. The temple police registered a case after the information was reported to the Devaswom police. High court stayed the arrest till the 30th of this month after the accused approached the High Court to avoid arrest.

The boy, who joined the department two years ago as a trainee, was beaten behind the ear and on the back of the knee with the round stick used to keep the rhythm during Krishnanattam. The child could not bear the pain and informed the parents. The parents then lodged a complaint with the Devaswom authorities.

The governing body entrusted the director of the Vedic and Cultural Center, Dr P Narayanan Namboothiri, to investigate the complaint and submit a report. The complaint was handed over to the police. The suspension is based on the inquiry report issued by the Director. The accused had approached the court to avoid arrest, pointing out that Meyyabhyasa training was going on in Krishnanattam Kalari till the 30th of this month. The court avoided the arrest considering this.

It is training season for Krishnanattam artists. The training starts at three in the morning. This child was beaten in the Kalari during this period last year too. However, the father was not ready to file a complaint back then. There was concern that there would be more harm in the coming days if a complaint was filed. The child's father filed a complaint with the Child Rights Commission. Devaswom has installed a camera in Kalari.