The cancellation of Udayasthamana Pooja at the age-old Lord Krishna Temple at Guruvayur has led to strange and unfortunate happenings. The ritual  is a unique worship performed on Ekadashi Days from sunrise (Udaya) to sunset (asthamanaa) without break and hundreds of thousands of devotees throng the temple considering  it a privilege to offer prayers on that occasion.

The Guruvayur Devaswom, the Kerala Government body packed with CPI(M) leaders that administers the temple, describes the Udayasthamana Pooja as the most dearest and coveted of all offerings  to Lord Krishna. It is believed that Sage Narada accompanied by Srimad Sankaracharya visited Guruvayur Temple on Ekadashi Day. The Bhagavad Gita was advised by Lord Krishna to Arjuna on . this day. It is also believed that Melpathur Narayana Bhattathirippadu, Sanskrit scholar par excellence, whose life period was from 1560 to 1603 completed the composition of Narayaneeyam ( a poetic work of tribute to Lord Krishna) on Shukla Paksha Ekadasi in the month of Agrahayana which makes it the most auspicious time to get Darshan of the presiding deity.

Early this month, the Devaswam issued an order cancelling the Udayasthamana Pooja citing problems associated with crowd control. The Government order drew widespread condemnation with Vedic scholars asking the Devaswam to withdraw the decision as the ritual has been observed from time immemorial. Thousands of people throng the temple from all over the country.

“Hantha! Bhagyam Jananam” (Oh Lord, How fortunate it is  to be born in this temple city” ) is the catchword in Narayaneeyam, the poetic work eulogizing the virtues of Lord Krishna. Parappanangadi Unnikrishan Panickar, Kerala’s ace Vedic scholar, in a release had requested the Government not to meddle with the custom and allow the pooja to proceed without trouble. Pandappillil Gopala Menon, Tantrik scholar had sounded alarm bell by forecasting that untoward incidents were bound to happen.

The Government’s  move to do away with the pooja had the concurrence of Chennas Dineshan Namboodirippadu, the Thanthri (chief priest) of the temple for reasons known to him only. The petition filed by a group of devotees was dismissed by a Division Bench of Kerala High Court on late Saturday. Though they approached the apex court challenging the division bench order, it was too late. But what happened on Tuesday turned out to be shocking. A close relation of the Thanthri, who was in the best of her health passed away all of a sudden on Tuesday making Dineshan Namboodirippadu ineligible to enter the temple premise for the next 12 days as he was the one to perform he last rites.

“It is one thing that you believe or not in God. But one should never question or challenge age-old rituals as there are reasons behind every poojas performed in temples,” said Dr M G Gireeshan, an electronics scientist working in a defense laboratory at Hyderabad.

Kizhiyedam Raman Namboodiri, second-in-command to the Thanthri, was weeping while he recounted the incidents that followed post-Kerala High Court decision dismissing the petition by believers.

All that Namboodiri could say was   “Hantha! Bhagyam Jananam” and “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna”. kumar chellappan n KOCHI

The cancellation of Udayasthamana Pooja at the age-old Lord Krishna Temple at Guruvayur has led to strange and unfortunate happenings. The ritual  is a unique worship performed on Ekadashi Days from sunrise (Udaya) to sunset (asthamanaa) without break and hundreds of thousands of devotees throng the temple considering  it a privilege to offer prayers on that occasion.

The Guruvayur Devaswom, the Kerala Government body packed with CPI(M) leaders that administers the temple, describes the Udayasthamana Pooja as the most dearest and coveted of all offerings  to Lord Krishna. It is believed that Sage Narada accompanied by Srimad Sankaracharya visited Guruvayur Temple on Ekadashi Day. The Bhagavad Gita was advised by Lord Krishna to Arjuna on . this day. It is also believed that Melpathur Narayana Bhattathirippadu, Sanskrit scholar par excellence, whose life period was from 1560 to 1603 completed the composition of Narayaneeyam ( a poetic work of tribute to Lord Krishna) on Shukla Paksha Ekadasi in the month of Agrahayana which makes it the most auspicious time to get Darshan of the presiding deity.

Early this month, the Devaswam issued an order cancelling the Udayasthamana Pooja citing problems associated with crowd control. The Government order drew widespread condemnation with Vedic scholars asking the Devaswam to withdraw the decision as the ritual has been observed from time immemorial. Thousands of people throng the temple from all over the country.

“Hantha! Bhagyam Jananam” (Oh Lord, How fortunate it is  to be born in this temple city” ) is the catchword in Narayaneeyam, the poetic work eulogizing the virtues of Lord Krishna. Parappanangadi Unnikrishan Panickar, Kerala’s ace Vedic scholar, in a release had requested the Government not to meddle with the custom and allow the pooja to proceed without trouble. Pandappillil Gopala Menon, Tantrik scholar had sounded alarm bell by forecasting that untoward incidents were bound to happen.

The Government’s  move to do away with the pooja had the concurrence of Chennas Dineshan Namboodirippadu, the Thanthri (chief priest) of the temple for reasons known to him only. The petition filed by a group of devotees was dismissed by a Division Bench of Kerala High Court on late Saturday. Though they approached the apex court challenging the division bench order, it was too late. But what happened on Tuesday turned out to be shocking. A close relation of the Thanthri, who was in the best of her health passed away all of a sudden on Tuesday making Dineshan Namboodirippadu ineligible to enter the temple premise for the next 12 days as he was the one to perform he last rites.

“It is one thing that you believe or not in God. But one should never question or challenge age-old rituals as there are reasons behind every poojas performed in temples,” said Dr M G Gireeshan, an electronics scientist working in a defense laboratory at Hyderabad.

Kizhiyedam Raman Namboodiri, second-in-command to the Thanthri, was weeping while he recounted the incidents that followed post-Kerala High Court decision dismissing the petition by believers.

All that Namboodiri could say was   “Hantha! Bhagyam Jananam” and “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna”.