Kerala Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan denies violation of rituals during Aranmula Ashtami Rohini Vallasadya

Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan on Wednesday said that claims of ritual breaches in connection with the famous Aranmula Ashtami Rohini Vallasadya were “baseless” and devoid of facts.

He was responding to the allegations that the traditional feast was served to him and other dignitaries before being offered to the deity of the Parthasarathi temple.

Mr. Vasavan said raising the issue more than a month after the event defies logic. “A letter was sent in a planned manner to create news. That is the fact,” the Minister said, referring to a letter to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) by the temple’s tantri (chief priest) Parameswaran Vasudevan Bhattathirippad claiming a breach of custom had occurred and calling for corrective rituals.

The Minister asserted that no one violated any temple rituals or customs and that he and other dignitaries acted according to the instructions of the event organisers. “The organisers took us to the feast,” he added.

TDB president P.S. Prasanth echoed Mr. Vasavan’s stance, saying the Minister had no knowledge of any breach and it was wrong to blame him. He said Mr. Vasavan and others attended the feast as per the organisers’ instructions.