Sabarimala Tantri Change on August 16; Kandararu Brahmadattan to Take Charge as Mahesh Mohanaru Completes Tenure
Pathanamthitta: Kandararu Brahmadattan will take charge as the Tantri of Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa Swamy Temple on August 16, as the tenure of the present Tantri, Kandararu Mahesh Mohanaru, concludes with this Chingam.
The present Tantri tradition at Sabarimala dates back to 1908, when Thazhamon Madom assumed the Tantri responsibility following an appointment by the Chengannur Tahsildar. There was no hereditary Tantri system at Sabarimala before this. After Thazhamon Madom took over, the responsibility passed through successive generations, eventually evolving into the hereditary Tantri tradition associated with the family.
The position is now transferred among eligible members of the Thazhamon family through a traditional rotational system every Chingam, beginning around the auspicious Vishnupathi Punyakalam.
In its recent observations, the Kerala High Court advised Kandararu Brahmadattan to uphold the sanctity of Sabarimala, protect its rituals and traditions, and act in the best interests of the presiding deity and devotees. The Devaswom Bench said his decisions should be guided by the best interests of the presiding deity, with priority given to preserving the temple's rituals, customs and traditions.
The observations came as the High Court approved the Travancore Devaswom Board's decision to appoint Brahmadattan as the new Tantri. He is the son of the Tantri Kandararu Rajeevararu, who had requested the appointment of his son as he was unable to continue the duties during the Chingam poojas due to health reasons.
Brahmadattan will assume charge when the temple opens at 5 p.m. on August 16. The temple will remain open until 10 p.m. on August 21.
For the Onam poojas, Sabarimala will reopen at 5 p.m. on August 24 and close at 10 p.m. on August 28.
Brahmadattan will continue as Tantri until the next Chingam, when the responsibility will pass to the next eligible member of the Thazhamon Madom family under the established rotational practice.