Kerala High Court Allows Two More Parties To Be Impleaded Into Matter Where Devotees Allegedly Made To Wash Feet Of 12 Brahmins At Temple

The Kerala High Court on Friday impleaded two more parties to the suo motu matter where devotees were allegedly made to wash the feet of 12 brahmins for the atonement of their sins in Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple, Tripunithura,

A Division Bench comprising Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice P.G. Ajithkumar allowed the impleading applications filed by an NGO and Akhila Kerala Thantri Mandalam and directed them to file their affidavits by the next posting date. 

The Standing Counsel for Cochin Devawsom Board also submitted an affidavit today stating that such a practice was not a ritual in the said temple. 

The matter will be taken up for further consideration next Friday. 

The incident came to light after a Malayalam daily Kerala Kaumudi published a report on February 4 citing that such a practice was being followed at the temples as part of 'Panthrandu Namaskaram'.

When the matter was taken up first, Standing Counsel for Cochin Devawsom Board, under which the impugned temple operates, denied the claims and he clarified that it was the Thanrti and not the devotees who washed the feet of 12 brahmins as part of the rituals.