Santhi to conduct Deeparadhana: TDB

SABARIMALA:  Travancore Devaswom Board president M Rajagopalan Nair has said that the TDB will send a veteran santhi to Ponnambalamedu to conduct deeparadhana during the Makarajyothi time and the TDB would not oppose the tribals of the Ponnambalamedu to participate in the ritual there.   Addressing newsmen at Sannidhanam Devaswom Guest House on Friday, Rajagopalan Nair said that Makarjyothi would be the star visible on the eastern sky of the Lord Ayyappa temple during the Makarasamkaram day and Makaravilakku seen at Ponnambalamedu would be deeparadhana held there. The TDB president said that three organisations representing the Mala Araya community approached the TDB after the last Makaravilakku seeking permission for the conduct of deeparadhana there. He said that the tribals conducted deepardhana at Ponnambalamedu long ago. The TDB had undertaken maintenance work on the platform at Ponnambalamedu on the directive of the High Court, Nair said.  THANTRI PLEAThantri Kandararu Maheswararu has sought to avoid controversies over Ponnambalamedu in the larger interests of the sentiments of the crores of pilgrims. The Thantri said that he deeply hurt over the raking up of issues over Ponnmbalamedu, the moolasthanam of Lord Ayyappa temple.    People should keep aloof from raising questions connected with Ponnambalamedu, the Thantri said. Both Makarajyothi and Makaravilakku were the continuing practices of Lord Ayyappa temple, Maheswararu said.