Tantri Mandalam Opposes Government’s Move to Hold Ayyappa Devotees’ Conclave
Pandalam: The Tantri Mandalam State Leadership Meeting has demanded that the government withdraw from attempts to create unrest at Sabarimala through large-scale fundraising and the organization of a conference under the banner of the Ayyappa Devotees’ Conclave.
The meeting strongly criticized the recent statement of the Devaswom Minister, who announced that all delegates of the proposed Global Ayyappa Devotees’ Conclave would be given special darshan at Sabarimala and that the devotees’ gathering at Pampa would be open to everyone, including women of all ages. The Tantri Mandalam leaders alleged that such remarks reflect a hidden agenda and are against the sanctity of the temple traditions.
According to the Tantri Mandalam, a conclave in the name of Ayyappa devotees should not be organized by a secular minister who is not an Ayyappa devotee. Instead, such an event should be conducted under the leadership of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), with a reception committee comprising representatives of the Pandalam royal family, traditional acharyas, Ayyappa devotees’ organizations, and other Hindu groups.
The state leadership meeting was attended by Tantri Mandalam President Neelamana V.R. Namboothiri, Vice President Vazhayilmadham S. Vishnu Namboothiri, General Secretary Kuttakottilam S. Radhakrishnan Potty, Joint Secretary Kudalman P. Vishnu Namboothiri, Treasurer Palkkulangara S. Ganapathi Potty, PRO Kaippalli Purushothaman Namboothiri, and Registrar Valavakottilam Dileepan Narayanan Namboothiri.