Kochi: Guruvayur Devaswom managing committee Chairman KB Mohandas has said that industrialist Ravi Pillai had promptly removed all the elaborate decorations at the Temple's 'nadappanthal' – for his son's wedding – that has now been questioned by the Kerala High Court.
On Thursday, the court, based on media reports, had asked the Temple administrator to explain why the 'nadappanthal' was decorated with huge cutouts and tree branches for the wedding.
A Bench of Justices Anil K Narendran and K Babu, on its own, had issued the direction.
The managing committee has been asked to file an affidavit by September 13 “explaining the facts and circumstances” in which the 'nadappanthal' was decorated.
Mohandas said that the decorations had been put up by an event management firm as a result of 'lack of communication', but once Pillai was apprised of the objections to it he had instructed everything to be removed for the wedding that took place on Thursday.
“Ravi Pillai had given an application in January 2021 to do floral decoration at the temple premises. The committee that met in February permitted him because at that time there was a decline in COVID-19 cases,” said Mohandas.
The Devaswom chairman believes that the event management team wasn't aware of the instructions as they tried to create an atmosphere of Vrindavan at the 'nadappanthal' by raising huge cutouts.
“As soon as the objections were raised, we informed Ravi Pillai about the same and he acted quickly,” added Mohandas.
He said that the industrialist, who is an “ardent devotee of Guruvayurappan” was even willing to shift the venue of the wedding if needed.
According to the Devaswom, at least 100 marriages are held daily at the 'nadappanthal' in front of the Temple. The High Court Bench has directed the administrator to take necessary steps to ensure no violation of the COVID-19 protocol in the conduct of marriages in the 'nadappanthal'.
(With PTI inputs)
