PALAKKAD: The tribal people of Attapadi Hills are up in arms against the move by Malabar Devaswom Board to take over Chemmanur Malleswara Temple (Shiva Temple) worshiped by all the tribal sects of Kurumbas, Mudugas and Irulas from time immemorial.
The temple is run by the tribespeople and they were preparing for their biggest festival of Shivarathri on February 13-14.
But the board took over the temple administration by appointing a five-member trust to run it. However, tribal trustees of the temple said that they will not accept the new trust formed by the Devaswom Board. Despite opposition from the tribal trustees, the Devaswom Board took over the control of the temple on January 21.
Kittiyanna, head of Bhoothapadi tribal hamlet, U C Kunchan, persident of Girijan Sevak Samithy, and E K Vanchi, vice-president of Thaikula Sangom (tribal women’s collective), told media persons here on Thursday that they would not allow the board to go ahead with the decision.
They said the move has created unrest among the tribespeople of Attapadi, they said.
More than 30,000 tribespeople living in the 192 tribal settlements of Attapadi jointly celebrate the Shivarathri festival at Malleswara temple and Malleswara Mudi.
Shivarathri is the biggest festival of tribal people of Attapadi and Malleswara Mudi, the highest peak of Attapadi Hills.
