Rahul Easwar denied entry into Sreekovil

SABARIMALA: Thantri Kandararu Maheswararu’s grandson Rahul Easwar was denied entry into Sreekovil of Lord Ayyappa temple during uchcha pooja on Tuesday.The permission to enter the sreekovil was denied when Thantri Kandararu Maheswararu, accompanied by Rahul Easwar (daughter’s son) in thantri’s costumes, was on his way to perform uchcha pooja at 12.30 p.m.Sabarimala executive officer M Satheeshkumar said that Rahul Easwar could not be permitted to enter the sreekovil as santhi to assist the thantri as the name of Rahul Easwar was not in the three-member list of santhis given by the thantri to the devaswom authorities. Satheeshkumar said that Rahul could not function as the thantri in the temple since the “makkathayam” (son after father’s tenure) was the custom.Thantri Maheswararu told newsmen after the uchcha pooja in his chamber that the thantri’s decision was supreme and final regarding the conduct of poojas and  rituals in the temple.Though the devaswom has the administrative control of the temple, the thantri’s word is final on matters of poojas in the sreekovil, Maheswararu said. On the other hand, the devaswom executive officer said that though the thantri could decide on poojas, the TDB got the overall administrative power to take the decision on all aspects of the temple.Meanwhile, Yogakshema Sabha president Akkeeraman Kalidasa Bhattathirippad has said “the prevention of the entry of Rahul Easwar, grandson of Thazhamon Thantri Kandararu Maheswararu, by the Travancore Devaswom Board officials into the sreekovil of the Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala is objectionable.”