Row over waking up Lord Vishnu, SC blasts Padma temple official

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday took serious exception to the affidavit of the Executive officer of Sri Padmanabha Swamy temple K. N. Satheesh for casting aspersions and using insinuations against the members of the Travancore Royal family.

The court also asked the Chief Tantri of the temple, Parameswaran Namboodiripad to take a decision whether to continue the ritual of reciting certain verses in Venkatesa Suprabatham in the morning to awake the Lord Padmanabha Swamy.

A Bench of Justices T.S. Thakur and Anil R. Dave who heard Mr. Satheesh in the open court, asked the EO to withdraw the objectionable affidavit and file an amended affidavit with materials in support of his allegations.

After hearing senior counsel K.K. Venugopal, who raised serious objections to the EO’s affidavit, Justice Thakur told the EC “we are not happy with the way you have filed the affidavit. You have no business to make such insinuations against the Royal family, when this court has permitted them to have certain privileges of visiting the temple. You can’t give a lecture to this court as to what we should do. You may have your views and ideologies. You are a creature of our order. You have no business to do so as you have overstepped up your limits.”

However, amicus curiae Gopal Subramanium told the court that the EO’s action could only be an aberration and he can be given one more chance to make amends. Taking note of this submission, the bench in its order said the question of removing the EO as demanded by Mr. Venugopal will be considered at the appropriate stage after he files an amended affidavit.

Mr. Venugopal also drew the court’s attention to several rituals and practices being followed contrary to the age-old practices. He said 'Vazhakula Samarpanam’ during Onam, a famous custom at Guruvayur temple was being imported to Padmabahaswamy temple. Further Venkatesa Suprabhatham was also being recited in the   morning to wake up the Lord, who is in Yoga nithra. “It is unfortunate that these customs that are not a part of the temple’s own traditions and could have a permanent impact on the temple are being imported by the administrative committee,” he added and listed several other steps being implemented without court approval. When he alleged that the rituals were changed at the instance of amicus curiae, Mr. Subramanium objected to it and said it could be left to the Chief tantri to take a call whether to continue or not the ritual of reciting Venakatesa Suprabatham. It was in this context the bench asked the Chief Tantri to decide on this ritual.   

The court also empowered the former CAG Vinod Rai to look into the several deficiencies and irregularities in the functioning of the temple trust and submit a report to the court. The bench also asked the Administrative Committee to undertake necessary repairs and restoration work at the temple and the two tanks and complete the same expeditiously.

The Bench directed that Keltron be de-commissioned as its work of inventorisation of the seven kallaras had been completed. It asked the Administrative Committee to take control of the records and keep them in safe custody. As and when a decision is taken on opening kallara 'B’ the court will consider commissioning Keltron again for inventorisation, the bench said.