If Makara Vilakku is a continuation of a traditional worship of tribals, what is wrong in that ?

Makara Jyothi being dragged in to an unnecessary controversy. To divert the attention from the gross failure and injustice done to Hindu devotees now Kerala Govt, it’s Dewaswom Board and Police are playing blame games. It is also an opportunity for Hindus of Kerala to take some bold steps and decisions. If Makara Vilakku is a continuation of a traditional worship of tribals, what is wrong in that ?

Those who have witnessed the crowd at Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu on Karthika Deepam festival, would understand this better. There, a heap of camphor is lit on top of the mountain on the night of Karthika which can be seen from miles away. Lakhs of devotees assemble there to take part in the festival and worship the flame which they consider as sacred.

Devotees believe that Ponnambalamedu is special among the eighteen holy hills surrounding Sabarimala. So devotees will bow down to everything in Poonkavanam  because they worship Ayyappa as the God who dwells in the nature. They worship those hills symbolically in the form of 18 steps. The whole of poonkavanam and all the creatures dwelling in it are sacred to devotees. Devotees used to address him as ‘Ponnambala Vasan’ even before the temple was covered by gold plating. So what is wrong in offering deeparadhana on the auspicious occasion of Makara Samkramam at Lord’s natural abode ?

Infact, Hindus should take this as an opportunity and force Dewaswom Board to make it a proper aarati. It can be viewed by millions compared to the aarati done inside the small temple which can be worshiped by only a couple of hundred people. Tribal priests themselves need to be sent there with all the assistance and it has to be performed by them on the same spot on that occasion. It will be only doing full justice to the tradition of Sabarimala pilgrimage as it is an event of equality and unity.

This will instill a feeling of belongingness among all the tribal people of south India towards Hindu culture. It gives us mainstream Hindus an opportunity to give them due respect as those who are traditionally part of temple rituals. We give special status to Alangattu and Ampalapuzha groups for petta thullal and those devotees who carry thiruvabharanam on their heads for so many years. At the same time full control as today has to be maintained to prevent outsiders from going there. The status quo of Ponnambalamedu needs to be maintained to preserve the sanctity and true spirit of Poonkavanam.

Hindus need to be vigilant now onwards as this will give dewaswom board new ideas for development on that sacred hill also which should never be allowed at any cost.

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