PATHANAMTHITTA: Pandalam Royal family has come down heavily on Devaswom board member K P Shankar Das, who went up the 18 steps without Irumudi.

“What Shankardas did was a strange violation of custom. He should perform parihara kriya (atonement rituals) at his own expense. All violation of customs are condemnable. The Devaswom board should conduct an inquiry into this,” said Pandalam Kottaram representative Sasikumar Varma.

The other day RSS leader Valsan Thillankeri had climbed down the 18 steps without ‘Irumudi’ after he heard a commotion at the foot of the stairs.

After this incident, Devaswom Board member K P Shankar Das came out with the statement that what Thillankeri did was breach of custom and it should be probed. Soon after this a private TV channel released the footages of Shankar Das himself ascending and descending the 18 steps without Irumudi.

Later in the evening, thantri came out with the clarification that both had breached a tradition in Sabarimala.