But the horrible memories of those days still linger in the minds of every devotee who fought to ensure that the Sabarimala traditions were not broken by a bunch of atheists.
Horrible, because this was a very rare occasion, when a ruling atheistic state government decided to use its entire might to break the traditions of a popular temple. Millions of devotees were disturbed and hurt.
Many of us stayed up late into the night, almost as if we were following a cricket match ball by ball, and then woke up early in the morning, hoping and praying that the state government had not been successful in implementing its agenda.
Now, according to Janam TV and others, former DGP A. Hemachandran has made some startling revelations in his book, 'Neethi Evide' (Where is justice?), released a couple of days ago. Hemachandran was a member of the high-level monitoring committee appointed by the Kerala HC.
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According to the reports, the former DGP accuses the Kerala government of supporting moves to break the age-old traditions at the temple in his book. He mentions that the government portrayed Ayyappa devotees as religious fundamentalists in a report submitted to the HC.
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He says that the government provided VIP treatment to those women who wanted to go to the temple and break the traditions. (Remember that all these women were left-leaning activists or liberals.)
He says in his book that while the devotees were stopped at Nilackal, the police made arrangements for activists to go all the way till Pamba. Just to provide some context, Nilackal is 18 kilometers away from Pamba. Pamba is a holy place where 'Triveni sangamam' occurs.
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“Triveni Sangamam” refers to the convergence of three rivers, namely Pampa, Kakki, and Njunungar. Pamba is the base station and nearest road point to Sabarimala Temple. The final trek to Sabarimala temple starts at Pamba.
There was a team of women activists, Manithi Sangam, from Tamil Nadu who were also accorded special treatment by the government. He says in his book that he was not in favor of providing special treatment to Manithi Sangam and even conveyed this to the government.
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The government rejected this, stating that not giving protection would be contempt of court. There were devotees ready to prevent this team from moving to the temple. He mentions that the preparations made, were similar to what is normally done to face guerrilla fighters.
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Apparently, he also mentions in his book that the unnecessary restrictions imposed during the struggle were distressing to devotees, adding that several police officers were also uncomfortable with all of this.
He says that he had also expressed his dissatisfaction with how the police were handling the situation directly to the Chief Minister. However, his views were rejected by the CM based on a report submitted by the police force.
We can soon expect comments from the state government stating that Hemachandran's book is driven by political motives, and that it is the BJP and the Sangha Parivar behind all this.
Thank you, sir for speaking about this in your book.
Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa 🙏
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The Hanuman Chalisa is a revered hymn by Tulsidas composed in the 16th century.
Reciting the Hanuman Chalisa invokes strength, courage, and devotion. On the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, here's the full Chalisa, with each verse in Hindi, English transliteration, and a brief meaning.
1. श्रीगुरु चरण सरोज रज, निज मन मुकुर सुधारि।
बरनऊँ रघुबर बिमल जसु, जो दायक फल चारि॥
Shri Guru charan saroj raj, nij man mukuru sudhaari
Barnaun Raghubar bimal jasu, jo daayak phal chari
I clean the mirror of my mind with the dust of my Guru’s feet and sing Ram’s pure glory, which gives the four blessings of life.
Story of Pazhassi Raja: The Lion of Kerala who defied Tipu Sultan and the British Empire
You've likely heard of Chhatrapati Shivaji's bravery, the Cholas' greatness, and the mighty Guptas and Mauryas.
But have you heard of Pazhassi Raja? If you've visited southern Kerala, you've probably noticed the region's remarkably well-preserved ancient temples, which seem to have withstood the test of time.
While much of India was ravaged by invaders, how did Travancore, in southern Kerala, manage to safeguard its heritage and preserve Dharma?
Although northern Kerala briefly came under Tipu Sultan's rule, his dream of conquering and looting wealthy Travancore remained just that, a dream!
Here's the fascinating story of Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, who stood between the invaders and Dharma, something that our textbooks never told us.
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Born on January 3, 1753, Pazhassi Raja is celebrated for his fierce resistance against both Mysore's rulers, including Tipu Sultan, and the British East India Company.
This fearless king from Kerala led one of the earliest and fiercest resistances against British colonialism in India.
His war wasn’t sparked by ideology; it was about dignity, sovereignty, and protecting his people from unjust foreign control.
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Pazhassi Raja, also known as Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja belonged to the Kottayam Royal Family (present-day Wayanad, not Central Kerala).
His kingdom lay in the forested hills of Malabar, rich in spices, gold, and timber, making it a hotbed for colonial interest.
His rule combined traditional authority with tactical brilliance, especially in managing local alliances.
Pressure Mounts on Kerala State Government to Restore Munambam Residents' Rights Following Waqf Amendment Bill
Since 2022, 610 families in Munambam, Kerala, mostly Christian fisherfolk, have been fighting to have their just, legitimate, and legal rights to their land reinstated.
They are seeking to reclaim land they have lived on for several decades.
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2019: Revenue Department Refuses to Accept Land Tax Payment
Their fight began in 2019, when the Waqf Board unilaterally declared the Munambam land as Waqf property and instructed the Revenue Department to stop accepting land tax from the existing landholders.
As you might be aware, without the payment of land tax, no legal transaction involving the property can take place.
These families have been fighting ever since and have been on an indefinite strike for the past six months.
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75 Years of Appeasement Politics
For the last 75 years, the Congress and Communist alliances in the state have successfully dangled the 'carrot of appeasement' before Keralites. The unsuspecting locals at Munambam, like many others across the state, continued to elect Congress and Communist candidates.
Their only hope of reclaiming their land lay in the Waqf Amendment Bill introduced by the central government. However, to their utter shock and dismay, both the alliances in the state opposed the bill.
RSS Song at Kerala Temple Festival: Cases Filed Against Organizers
A few weeks ago, a major controversy erupted at a temple in the Kollam district of Kerala after communist revolutionary songs were performed during a local temple festival. This happened at the Kadakkal temple festival.
The visuals of the performance went viral, with many questioning whether temples are now being taken over by Communist cadres to further their political agenda.
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For those who missed the performance, here’s the video. The song being heard is a Kerala communist song that glorifies a comrade.
You can clearly hear "Inquilab Zindabad" and "DYFI Zindabad," and of course, not to miss the DYFI backdrop!
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Here’s another one from a different temple festival in the Kannur district.
The song being heard is a well-known Communist revolutionary number.
Suresh Gopi and George Kurian: The Rise of Nationalist Voices from Kerala in Parliament
The Waqf Amendment Bill was finally passed by the Rajya Sabha after a marathon debate session that began yesterday and continued into the early hours of today. While the opposition employed every trick in the book to create hurdles, the ruling alliance ensured that all arguments against the bill were struck down.
This was perhaps the first major bill taken up by the current central government since it assumed power last year. It was refreshing to see nationalist politicians from Kerala arguing vehemently against the opposition.
Image Courtesy: Manorama Online
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So why am I specifically mentioning Kerala here? The state has 20 Lok Sabha seats, and for the last 75 years, it has consistently elected 20 incompetent MPs who have done little of worth in Parliament.
However, this time there was an exception in the form of Kerala’s first BJP MP, Suresh Gopi.
Joining him in the Rajya Sabha was a fellow Keralite Sri George Kurian. If you’re not from Kerala, you may not be familiar with these names. By now, some of the videos of Suresh Gopi from the debates have already gone viral.
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This is one of the viral videos. In it, Suresh Gopi appears to be gesturing to an opposition politician—most likely from Kerala—to behave. It's so hilarious that it would have been a surprise if it hadn’t gone viral.
‘A Long Wait Ends’: Munambam Residents in Kerala Rejoice as Waqf Amendment Bill Clears Rajya Sabha
Munambam residents heaved a sigh of relief after the #WaqfBill2025 sailed through the Rajya Sabha. Munambam, located in central Kerala, is primarily inhabited by fisherfolk, most of whom belong to the Christian community.
They had been facing the threat of eviction by the Waqf Board from the land they had been living on for decades. Their only hope was the Waqf amendment bill. The residents had been on an indefinite strike for the last six months against the Waqf board's attempts to take over their land.
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Let’s remember that this is yet another locality in Kerala, that had repeatedly voted for the Congress and the Communists in the past.
Yet both parties washed their hands of the issue, choosing instead to vote against the amendment bill—clearly because they didn’t want to antagonize the powerful Islamic organizations that opposed it.
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Image Courtesy: The New Indian Express
The area witnessed unprecedented scenes this morning. BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar received a warm welcome upon his arrival in Munambam, accompanied by a few other senior state leaders.