The report submitted by Travancore Devaswom's Vigilance wing to the Devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran has stated that women of menstruating age have not entered the Sabarimala temple.
Earlier, photographs of a few women praying at the sanctum sanctorum of Sabarimala had appeared on social media, leading to the claim that young women had visited the hill shrine by violating the rules.
Following the controversy, the minister had ordered a probe into the allegations. Now the report submitted by Vigilance wing on Wednesday said that the women who visited the temple were all aged above 50.
However the report says that certain norms were violated on that day at the temple. It says that a Kollam-based businessman Sunil (Sunil Swamy), had managed to arrange a padipooja on April 10 in contravention of the norms, and that he bypassed many others who had booked the pooja till 2033.
The vigilance wing report also recommended action against Sunil Swami and said that he had considerable influence in the Devaswom. It also stated that there were severe lapses on the part of Devaswom officials.
It was also reported that the sanctum sanctorum was opened on that day against the rules.
Apart from Sunil, the report also suggested action against actor Jayaram for performing Edakka (a kind of tabla) in front of the temple and it said that Sunil helped the actor in doing so.
According to the rules, once the temple was closed on April 9, it should have been opened only on April 14 for Vishu. But it was opened on April 10 which was in violation of the rules.
Senior Devaswom officials were aware about this but even the head priest did not resist, The Times of India reports.
Earlier, while ordering the probe, Kadakampally Surendran had told media that there were flaws with Devaswom officials.
“In Sabarimala, many things happen according to the whims and fancies of Devaswom authorities. It is time to stop the interference of these rich people in Sabarimala,” Surendran had said.
The controversy had erupted on April 12 when TG Mohandas - a right wing activist and convenor of BJP’s intelligence cell - tweeted a photo of women praying at the sanctum sanctorum of the Sri Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala, with the comment, “Hope these girls are above 50!”