SABARIMALA: Sabarimala thantri Kandararu Rajeevaru has said that he sticks to his stand that he would close the temple if young women enters Sannidhanam.

“There is no change in that stand. I’m liable to protect temple customs. I will discharge the responsibility vested on me. If there is no value to my words, I shall close the door of sanctum sanctorum, hand over the key and step down,” Kandararu Rajeevaru reiterated his stand in an interview given to media.

“The right of being thantri comes to us as we are considered the father of the deity after its installation (through Prana prathishta).
We consider the deity as our child.

By heredity, the thanthri gets the position of the deity’s father for carrying out the activities of the idol. Many discussion are going on now surrounding Sabarimala , without any knowledge of these facts.

Each temple has its own system. The temples of Kerala are based on Thantrik rules that hinges on the concept of purity. Here, only pujaris (priests) are allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum. There is a boundary beyond which even devotees can’t enter. There is clear specifications on who and in which state one can come to temple. Temple visit is not possible during the period of menstruation, pula (a definite period following death of kin) or Valayma (period following birth of a child in the family).

Each deity has its own specialities. All traditions are fixed accordingly. Even in Siva temples, if some impurity occurs, darshan is possible only after ten days,” he said.

Rajeevaru said all these customs are not forced upon on anyone but being observed by people without the diktat of any law.
“Sree Ayyappan here is a sanyasi and in this temple there is no regular puja. During seasons, the temple is closed in the night after pujas and offerings. Before closing the temple, abhishekam is performed with bhasmam, the idol is adorned with rudraksha, japa mala is placed in the palm and yoga dhandu is placed under the elbow. This is done to keep the deity in yogi posture. The deity is again awaken after 25 days.

Women of certain ages are banned only because the deity is a sanyasi. True believers among women know this… that is why they are not coming here for darshan,” Thanthri explained.

Thantri also expressed his optimism on the Supreme Court’s much-awaited verdict on the review petition against its latest order that allows women of all ages enter Sabarimala.