PANDALAM, KERALA — A large “Sabarimala Protection Gathering” of Ayyappa devotees was held in Pandalam on Monday, organized by various Hindu outfits to counter the “Global Ayyappa Sangamam” recently conducted by the Kerala state government. The event was seen as a show of strength by Hindu organizations and a political response to the government’s perceived attempts to interfere in temple traditions.
The gathering, which was organized by groups including the Sabarimala Karma Samithi and Hindu Aikya Vedi, drew a massive crowd of devotees. It was inaugurated by former Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai and was attended by other prominent leaders from the BJP and other Hindu organizations.
The organizers claimed that the event was a platform for “real believers” to voice their concerns, in contrast to the government-sponsored meeting in Pampa, which they alleged was a political gathering. The event’s key objectives were to demand the withdrawal of cases registered against Ayyappa devotees during the 2018 Sabarimala protests and to assert that temple customs and traditions must be protected.
The Pandalam gathering was also a response to the perceived failure of the government’s event in Pampa, which reportedly saw a low turnout despite being a high-profile gathering. The Pandalam Palace, the traditional home of Lord Ayyappa, had also decided to abstain from the Pampa event, citing the government’s failure to withdraw cases against devotees. Representatives of the Pandalam royal family were expected to attend the gathering in Pandalam.
This event has further intensified the political discourse in Kerala, with the BJP and other Hindu organizations taking a strong stance on issues related to the Sabarimala temple and the rights of devotees. The gathering signals a fresh political churn in the state, especially with local body and assembly elections approaching.
