Pandalam Palace to skip Global Ayyappa Summit, expresses dissatisfaction over government's decision not to withdraw cases filed in 2018

PATHANAMTHITTA: Representatives of the Pandalam Palace will not attend the Global Ayyappa Summit scheduled to be held at Pampa on Saturday. In a press release, the palace management committee said the decision was due to aśuddhi (ritual impurity) following the recent demise of family members. Committee secretary M.R.S. Varma noted that the period of impurity will conclude only on September 27, and until then, the palace will refrain from attending such events. He added that, as per tradition, palace members cannot travel beyond Nilakkal while observing ritual impurity.

While ritual impurity is cited as the official reason, the press release also expressed dissatisfaction over the government’s failure to withdraw cases filed during the 2018 Sabarimala protests, as demanded by the palace. The committee had raised this matter when Travancore Devaswom Board president P.S. Prasanth visited Pandalam Palace, and he had assured that steps would be taken after consulting the authorities. However, the government later conveyed through the media that the cases would not be withdrawn immediately and reiterated its earlier stand before the Supreme Court. The palace noted that this decision was disappointing and hurtful to devotees.

The statement further stressed that both the government and the Devaswom Board should move forward only by protecting temple traditions, devotees, and their faith, without altering established rituals. It also mentioned that during discussions with Valia Thampuran Thiruvonam Nal Rama Varma, it was clarified that the palace does not oppose developmental works in Sabarimala as long as they benefit devotees.