A police investigation uncovered that project coordinators were collecting money from devotees without proper authorization.
Kochi, Feb 28: The Kerala High Court has ordered the end of the ‘Punyam Poonkavanam Project’, a community cleaning initiative at the famous Sabarimala temple in Pathanamthitta district. The project, which started in 2011, aimed to keep the temple town clean with the help of devotees, police officers, and government officials.
A division bench of Justices Anil K. Narendran and S. Muralee Krishna gave this order after a police report revealed that funds were being collected without proper permission by the project’s coordinator.
The Kerala High Court took action after a suo motu (self-initiated) case was filed. This happened when the Kottayam police chief sent a letter to the Special Commissioner of the temple in March 2023. The letter mentioned that the project’s coordinator in Erumeli was collecting money from devotees without official approval.
A police investigation confirmed these allegations. The report stated that money was being taken from devotees in the name of the project, but there was no legal authorization for such collections. Shocked by this, the High Court ordered the state government to immediately stop the project.
The court also asked the state government to take appropriate legal action based on the police report.
As per the Kerala Police’s plan for the 2022-23 Sabarimala festival season, special officers and police controllers were assigned to help with the project. Their role was to coordinate the activities and ensure smooth implementation.
However, the police report revealed unauthorized fund collection, which led to the court’s intervention.
Sabarimala temple is one of India’s most important pilgrimage sites. It is located in the Western Ghats at an altitude of 914 metres. Millions of devotees visit the temple every year.
To visit the temple, pilgrims must follow strict rituals. They have to observe a 41-day penance, which includes fasting, wearing black dhotis, avoiding footwear, and following a vegetarian diet.
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One of the key rituals of the Sabarimala pilgrimage is carrying the ‘Irumudi‘. This is a prayer kit that contains coconuts and other offerings. Pilgrims must break these coconuts before climbing the temple’s 18 sacred steps. Without the Irumudi, devotees are not allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum.
