Supreme Court Rebukes Guruvayoor Temple Committee For Not Holding 'Udayasthamana Pooja' On Ekadashi Day, Orders Not To Change Schedule Of Poojas

The Supreme Court today rebuked the management committee of the Guruvayoor Temple in Kerala for its decision to deviate from conducting the age-old ‘Udayasthamana Pooja’ on Guruvayur Ekadashi day, December 11 on the ground of concerns regarding crowd management. The Court directed the Temple management not to change the schedule of the poojas that is published on the official website of the Temple. 

The Court was hearing a Special Leave Petition by members of the Thantri family of Guruvayur temple against the Kerala High Court Order passed on December 7 that refused to interfere with the management committee's decision.

The High Court stated that the question as to whether the performance of the said pooja must be held on the Ekadashi day "is a temple Acharam or tradition in that temple has to be established before a competent civil court and the petitioners cannot agitate that disputed question of fact in this writ petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India."

Today, a two-Judge Bench comprising Justice J.K. Maheshwari and Justice Rajesh Bindal took to task the management committee asking how it could take a unanimous decision to conduct the pooja on a different day, ignoring the provisions of the Guruvayoor Devaswom Act, 1978 and the Rules made under it, which say that the committee shall exercise its duties subject to the custom and usage followed by the temple.

While issuing notice to the temple management committee, the Bench questioned the validity of the committee's logic that inconvenience may be caused to the public due to the large gathering expected on Ekadashi day.

The Bench, however, expressed regret that it was not able to grant any interim relief as the hearing was happening on the Ekadashi day itself and the pooja had to start on Tuesday, December 10, evening.

The Petitioners, represented by Senior Advocates C. S. Vaidyanathan and Guru Krishna Kumar and Advocate A. Karthik, submitted that it is believed that any disturbance or deviation from these rituals, poojas, and ceremony will impair the manifestations of divine force or Chaitanya of Guruvayoor Temple.

The Udayasthamana pooja is a series of nearly 15-18 poojas that are conducted from sunrise to sunset. It is an admitted fact that, since 1972, the Guruvayur Devaswom is conducting Udayasthamana pooja on the Ekadasi day. The Petitioners claim that the pooja has been conducted even prior to 1972 on the same day.

"[S]uch centuries-old custom and religious practices cannot be ignored as these long-run customs, privileges and practices align with the sentiments of people of such locality with which there cannot be any interfere in a casual and perfunctory manner." the Petitioners have urged.

The Act specifies that the Committee is not to interfere with religious and spiritual matters pertaining to the Devaswom. The Act also specifies that "nothing in the Act or the rules made thereunder, shall affect any honour, emolument or perquisite to which any person is entitled by custom or otherwise from or in the Devaswom, or its established usage in regard to any other matter." Under the Guruvayoor Devaswom Rules, the Committee is prohibited from altering or causing to alter the performance of customary rites and ceremonies in the temple. 

The right procedure to take decisions on alteration of pooja dates is through astrological consultations held between more than seven astrologers. "Each and every point placed per consultation ought to be subjected to critical analysis by the astrologers based on planetary movements and other signs. Before taking such an important decision, the Respondents ought to have followed the said process." the Petitioners submitted.

As part of the 'grounds' for challenging the High Court's Order, the Petitioners state, "[T]he non-performance of Udayasthamana pooja on the Shuklapaksham day...is against the established religious custom, ritual and usage followed in the Guruvayur Temple. It is believed by the devotees that the said act is a bad omen and may impair the manifestations of divine force or Chaitanya of the Temple."

The Petitioners contended that the High Court had erred in not setting aside the decision of the Devaswom committee.

Cause Title: P.C. Hary And Ors. v. Guruvayoor Devaswom Managing Committee And Ors. [SLP(C) No. 29687/2024]