Appointment of Ezhava community member at Kerala temple sparks row as tantris refuse to do puja

Kerala State Human Rights Commission investigates controversy over Ezhava appointment at Koodalmanikyam temple, tantris refuse rituals.

The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has registered a suo motu case and sought a report in connection with the appointment of a person belonging to the Ezhava community (an Other Backward Community) as ‘Kazhakam’ staff at the Koodalmanikyam temple at Irinjalakuda in Thrissur district of Kerala.

Those appointed in the post of ‘Kazhakam’ undertake duties including garland-making and associated works in the temple. The issue had snowballed into a controversy after the temple tantris, belonging to upper caste community, refused to perform pujas in protest against the appointment of a person belonging to the Ezhava community to the post.

The State Human Rights Commission member V. Geetha on Monday (March 10, 2025) ordered the Kochi Devaswom Commissioner and the Executive Officer of the Koodalmanikyam temple to submit a report on the issue within two weeks, said a communication from the commission.

The Devaswom authorities shifted the person, Balu, from the Kazhakam duty and assigned him office work following the pressure from the tantris, who had stated that they will keep off from performing the rituals till he was shifted.

A native of Aryanad in Thiruvananthapuram, Balu was appointed to the post after he had cleared the Kerala Devaswom Recruitment Board exam. He had joined duty on February 24.

The six tantri families associated with the temple had kept off from duty after he had joined.

The Devaswom authorities had issued a letter to the tantris seeking an explanation on their absence. The Kazhakam duty was later assigned to a member from the Pisharody community.