Kerala govt. to bring new law on temple entry

Thiruvanathapuram, India - Kerala government today said it would bring a legislation to enable any believer in Hinduism to offer worship in temples.

Devaswom Minister G Sudhakaran told a seminar here on 'Progressive Movement and the Second Guruvayur Satyagraha', organised by DYFI that the present rule stated that any person who by birth is a Hindu can enter temples.

A necessary amendment would be brought forward to enable a believer in Hinduism enter temples, Sudhakaran said.

"Thanthri's (chief priests of temples) have no right to determine who is a believer," Sudhakaran added.

This comes after the famed Guruvayoor Sri Krishna Temple's board Wednesday apologised to Ravi Krishna, son of Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi, for conducting a purification ceremony after he and his family visited the shrine in Kerala last month.

On May 19, Guruvayoor priests performed a purification ritual after the visit of Ravi and his family for the naming ceremony of Ravi's grandchild. Ravi's wife Mercy Ravi, a former Congress legislator in Kerala assembly, is a Christian by birth.

The temple authorities had said they were not very clear about Ravi Krishna's religion.