Criticism for not conducting Udayastamaya Puja on Ekadashi day; 'Do not change pujas at Guruvayur,' says Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has directed not to change the timing or sequence of pujas at Guruvayur temple. The court's intervention comes in the context of changing the Udayastamaya Puja, which was supposed to be performed yesterday on Ekadashi in the month of Vrishchika, to the month of Tula. The court said that nothing can be done in that regard as the pooja time has passed.
The court gave strict instructions to the Devaswam not to change or omit the chart of daily pujas on the temple website.
A bench comprising Justices JK Maheshwari and Rajesh Bindal observed that the customs should have remained the same. Puja is to increase the vitality of the deity. It is the right of the deity. Guruvayoor Devaswom says that the reason is the difficulty faced by the people due to crowding. Other ways must be sought to solve this.

The court ordered notices to be sent to the opposing parties such as the Devaswom Managing Committee, Temple Tantri and State Government. A reply must be submitted within four weeks.

The members of Puzhakara Chennas Illam, a Tantri family, were the ones who approached the Supreme Court. Although the Tantri supported the Devaswam decision, a section of the family opposed it. CS Vaidyanathan and A Karthik, lawyers representing the Tantri family, pointed out that changing the puja is a breach of ritual. The court asked shouldn't an Ashtamangala prasnam be done if a change is to be made. The Devaswom informed that the Puja was changed only after hearing Tantri's opinion, but the court did not accept it. The court asked whether Tantri could make a decision unilaterally.