Devaswom Board Has Full Authority to change Sabarimala Thantri and Appoint Qualified Persons, Says Pandalam Palace Family Member Raja Raja Varma
Pathanamthitta: Pandalam Palace family member Raja raja Varma has stated that the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has full legal authority to change the Sabarimala Thantri (chief priest) and appoint a qualified persons. He conveyed this position in a letter addressed to Devaswom Minister K. Muraleedharan.
In the letter, Raja raja Varma stated that there are no legal hurdles preventing the Board from removing or appointing a Thantri. He further argued that if a Thantri misuses his authority, the Karanma (hereditary) status can be revoked. According to him, the Board also has the power to appoint more than one Thantri if required.
He maintained that the Sabarimala Thantri does not hold the status of a "spiritual father" of Lord Ayyappa. Even if the idol is damaged, he said, its divine presence (Chaitanya) is not lost, and a Thantri who performs a re-consecration (Punarprathishta) does not attain the status of the deity's spiritual father.
Rajaraja Varma also claimed that the ownership of the Sabarimala temple rests with the Pandalam Palace. While the government continues to function as the trustee, he said the temple's ownership has never been transferred to the State. Citing the settlement register, he claimed that the government cannot take over the temple at any point.
The issue has gained attention after BJP state vice-president K. S. Radhakrishnan demanded that the Thazhamon family step down from the position of Sabarimala Thantri. He alleged that no other family had brought as much disgrace and distress to the Sabarimala temple and Ayyappa devotees. Radhakrishnan also questioned the demand made by Kandararu Rajeevaru, an accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case, to appoint his son Brahmadathan as the next Thantri. He asked whether the post of Sabarimala Thantri had become "reserved" for the children of those facing criminal trials.
Speaking to Media, Radhakrishnan reiterated that the Thazhamon family had brought disrepute to the temple and its devotees. He argued that only individuals with proper Tantric knowledge should be appointed as Thantri and urged the Travancore Devaswom Board not to accept Rajeevaru's request to appoint his son.
Responding to the controversy, Rahul Easwar, who also belongs to the Thazhamon family, defended the family, saying it continues to enjoy the respect of devotees. He accused K. S. Radhakrishnan of being influenced by "WhatsApp University" misinformation.
Amid the ongoing controversy, Rajaraja Varma's letter to Devaswom Minister K. Muraleedharan has added a fresh legal dimension to the debate over the authority to appoint and remove the Sabarimala Thantri.