Talks between the Travancore Devaswom Board and representatives of Pandalam palace, which is closely associated with the traditions and rituals of the Sabarimala temple, have failed.
This came about as the Board and respondents from both the palace and various Hindu organisations failed to find consensus over the Supreme Court-decreed entry of 'women of all ages' into the temple.
This comes only a couple of days ahead of opening of the temple for rituals associated with the first day of the Malayalam month of Thulam day after tomorrow.
And this is the first time that the temple opens for the traditional 'puja' after the Supreme Court ordered that women should not discriminated with respect to right of entry into the hill shrine.
Emerging form the meeting called by the Board, PG Sasikumar Varma, representative of the Pandalam palace, said he was disappointed by its approach towards meeting its demands.
These included buying time for implementing the court order, filing a revision petition, and formulation an ordinance to ensure that rituals and traditional are maintained at the temple.
Explaining, he said that he along with other Hindu organisations represented at the meeting had demanded that the Devaswom Board file a revision petition in the Supreme Court.
NEXT COURSE OF ACTION
Not just was this ruled out, the demand that the status quo be maintained at the temple till such time that the Supreme Court pronounces a verdict on the review petition too was shot down. What the Board would commit itself in response to repeated entreaties was that the issue would be deliberated at its next meeting on October 19.
Since the talks were not making any headway, Varma said he and his compatriots chose to take no more part, while clarifying that it did not amount to a walkout. Varma said that he and the co-respondents would get back to Pandalam and discuss the latest developments before charting the next course of action.
NOT A COMPLETE FAILURE
The NDA-BJP which had led a huge 'Save Sabarimala' rally into the State capital, had said yesterday that the state government would be given 24 hours to decide either way. Meanwhile, Devaswom Board President A Padmakumar said that Tuesday's talks were 'not a complete failure.' The Board would be able to meet only on October 19 which its advocates would be attending.
The Supreme Court opens only on October 22. The demand of the respondents was that the Board should move the petition today itself, which is out of question. But the Board is not shutting out the door on further conciliatory talks either. Today's meeting reflected its real intent to find an amicable solution to the issue, Padmakumar said.
NO ORDINANCE, REVIEW PETITION
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said there was no question of legislating an ordinance at cross-purposes with the intent of the Supreme Court verdict on Sabarimala. The state government is obliged to implement the order and there was no question of filing a review petition either, the Chief Minister told newspersons here.
Nobody can stop the faithful from visiting the shrine. Law and order would be enforced strictly at the temple and neighbourhood. He would not be responsible trouble that protesters engineer there. Troublemakers would be handled strictly, he said when his attention was drawn to reported incidents in which incoming vehicles were searched at a Sabarimala transit point and women pilgrims sent back.
"All devotees would be treated as equal and given adequate protection to make the pilgrimage. Any attempt to mess up the peaceful environment at Sabarimala and its premises will be tolerated."