The Kerala High Court Today (Dec 12) termed as “very very serious” the “VIP darshan” provided to actor Dileep at the Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala recently and said that it resulted in pilgrims being “virtually blocked” from getting darshan of the deity for several minutes. A bench of Justices Anil K Narendra and Muralee Krishna S said it was “not a question of two minutes” when the first two rows in front of the ‘Sopanam’ were “choked” for several minutes to allow the actor to get darshan.
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KOCHI: The Kerala High Court labeled the “VIP darshan” granted to actor Dileep at the revered Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala as “very very serious.”
The court highlighted that this privileged access led to pilgrims being “virtually blocked” from receiving darshan of the deity for several minutes, causing substantial inconvenience during a peak pilgrimage season.
Court’s Concerns Over Disruption of Pilgrimage Rituals
A bench comprising Justices Anil K Narendra and Muralee Krishna S expressed deep concern over the incident, stating,
“It was not a question of two minutes, when the first two rows in front of the ‘Sopanam’ were ‘choked’ for an extended period to facilitate the actor’s darshan.”
The justices questioned the preferential treatment, asking,
“What is the privilege such persons are having?”
This pointed query underscores the court’s stance against favoritism, especially in places of spiritual significance.
Directives to Prevent Future Occurrences
The High Court directed the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) and the Chief Police Coordinator to implement measures ensuring that such disruptions do not recur. This directive came after the bench reviewed CCTV footage of the incident from December 5, which was presented in open court.
The footage revealed that at approximately 10:58 pm, the movement of pilgrims through the first row in front of the Sopanam was obstructed from the southern side by a Devaswom guard.
Subsequently, actor Dileep entered the first row from the same side at 10:58 pm and remained there until 11:05:45 pm.
Analysis of the Incident from CCTV Footage
The court observed,
“From the CCTV footage, we notice the movement of the pilgrims through the first row in front of the Sopanam was blocked from the southern side by the Devaswom guard on duty at around 10.58 pm.”
Additionally, it was noted,
“It is evident from the video, that movement of pilgrims in the first row from the northern side was blocked by another Devaswom guard by 10.51 pm.”
These observations indicate a coordinated effort to restrict pilgrim movement, thereby granting exclusive access to the actor.
TDB’s Response and Court’s Further Instructions
In response to the court’s inquiry about the actions taken post-incident, the Travancore Devaswom Board informed the bench that it had issued a show cause notice to the officers involved, including the two guards responsible for managing pilgrim flow in front of the Sopanam. After deliberating on the matter, the bench stated,
“We deem it appropriate to direct the Travancore Devaswom Board and the Chief Police Coordinator to take necessary steps to ensure such privileges for remaining in front of the Sopanam of Sabarimala Sannidhanam for a considerably long time by blocking darshan of pilgrims was not extended to any pilgrim.”
Ensuring Fair Access for All Pilgrims
The court emphasized the importance of equitable access to darshan, directing both the TDB and the Chief Police Coordinator to ensure that
“such things are not repeated at Sabarimala Sannidhanam”
in the future. Furthermore, the bench stated,
“The further course of action to be taken shall be decided after filing of the reports by the Chief Police Coordinator and the secretary of the Board,”
and scheduled the matter for a subsequent hearing on Friday.
Previous Court Rulings and Ongoing Pilgrimage Season
Last Friday, the Kerala High Court had criticized the police and TDB for facilitating the “VIP darshan” to Dileep during the ongoing pilgrimage season. The court observed that this act “hindered” the darshan of numerous devotees who had been waiting in line for several hours.
Consequently, the court had ordered the submission of the CCTV footage related to the incident.
The bench noted that actor Dileep maintained his position in the first row before the Sopanam throughout the ‘Harivarasanam‘ (a lullaby to Lord Ayyappa) until the temple’s closure for the day. The court’s intervention was initiated based on media reports highlighting the “special VIP darshan” granted to Dileep on December 5, during the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage.
This period witnesses a massive influx of devotees from Kerala and neighboring states to the Sabarimala shrine each day.
Conclusion
The Kerala High Court’s stern remarks and directives aim to uphold the sanctity and fairness of the pilgrimage experience at Sabarimala.
By addressing the misuse of VIP privileges, the court seeks to ensure that all devotees receive unhindered access to darshan, maintaining the spiritual integrity of the Lord Ayyappa shrine during one of its most significant pilgrimage seasons.
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on Sabarimala
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