Authorities of the famous Sri Ramanathaswamy temple have performed an “atonement” puja after a local MLA entered into it, according to temple sources.
The Ramanathapuram Municipality Vice Chairman M Rajamani said the local MLA, Hasan Ali wanted to see for himself the cracks in the temple’s East Tower on Saturday and report to the State Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HRCE) Minister K R Periyakaruppan.
Temple authorities performed parihara pooja (cleaning and atonement pooja) on Monday. The BJP’s local unit, has put up posters condemning the incident.
VHP and Shiv Sena also condemned it.
Temple officials said former Puducherry Chief Minister Farooq Marackier had entered the temple about 20 years ago and the then temple priest Kalidass Mahanth had filed a case in the Supreme court as the HRCE rules and agamas of the temple prevented non-Hindus from entering it.
Mr Marackier had then apologised before the Court, officials said, adding that the “atonement pooja” was performed then too.
Last month, temple authorities of the Guruvayur temple in Thrissur district of Kerala had conducted a purification rituals after the visit of Union Minister Vayalar Ravi’s son, Ravikrishna, on the ground that his mother hailed from a Christian family.