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'Allowing non-Hindus to shrine against deity's will'
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November 02, 2007 21:25 IST

Doors of the famed Guruvayur Sree Krishna temple will continue to be closed to non-Hindus if the finding of a key astrological ritual is a pointer.

The ongoing 'Devaprasnam' -- an astrological exercise held in temples in Kerala [Images] -- has found that allowing non-Hindus to the temple is against the will of the presiding deity of the shrine, which attracts millions of devout each year.

Friday is the fourth day of the eight-day long ritual being held after a gap of 17 years.

It came out during the proceedings by eight leading astrologers in the temple that the presiding deity's will was that only those who believed in idol worship and temple traditions need to be allowed to enter and worship the shrine, Guruvayur temple sources said.

The finding comes in the backdrop of the Left Front-led Kerala government's moves to amend rules to allow entry to those who believed in Hinduism. The existing rules allow entry to a Hindu only by 'birth' or 'religion.'

Guruvayur is a temple where non-Hindus are not allowed to enter and worship and which follows a rigid dress code that remained largely unchanged for centuries.

It was also found from the 'Devaprasnam' that there had been flaws in certain construction done in the temple complex recently, particularly those pertaining to the position of sub-deities and the temple's golden flag-post.

The ritual is being conducted by a panel of leading astrologers led by Irinjalakkuda Padmanabha Sarma.


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