The Pandalam Palace, founder-owner of Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, has taken exception to the Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sanghom view that “the opinion of the Tantri (chief priest) is the last word on the customs and practices at a temple.”
In a statement here on Tuesday, Pandalam Palace Managing Committee (PPMC) chairman P.Rama Varma Raja said the owner of the temple or ‘kshetresan’ was the final authority of all temple affairs. Citing an example, Mr. Raja said the Tantri who disagreed with the kshetresan’s decision to reinstall the deity at Kaipuzha Sree Krishna Temple attached to the Pandalam Palace as Santhanagopala Murthy was removed to implement the latter’s decision.
