A controversy set off by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse’s wife Siranthi, a Christian by birth, visiting the famed Sri Krishna temple at Guruvyur is likely to blow over with the president affirming that his wife is a Buddhist and the temple board ruling out “any room for suspicion” regarding her faith.
The Peninsula newspaper reported Tuesday that President Mahinda Rajapakse rang up Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Sunday between 8 and 9pm to clarify that his wife is a Buddhist.
The Indian Embassy said Siranthi was also a follower of Sri Satyasayi Baba.
A section of the Sri Lankan media had reported that the Christian-born Siranthi had violated the tradition and practices at the Sree Krishna Temple, which bars entry to non-Hindus. The president, accompanied by his wife, had made offerings and prayed at the temple on December 30 last year for “lasting peace in the island nation”.
Chandy told The Peninsula, Quatar’s leading English language daily, that the president felt the controversy had been the creation of elements opposed to him back home.
“We were cautious and informed New Delhi prior to the visit about the restrictions regarding temple entry at Guruvayur.
“As a matter of abundant caution, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, Jayasinghe, a Christian, the president’s chief security officer Fernandes and chief of protocol, Sri Lanka, Amza, a Muslim, had stayed back at the airport during the presidential visit on December 30. They did not even accompany the VIP couple on the copter to Guruvayur”, said Chandy.
The Guruvayur temple administration said in a clarification Monday that the issue regarding the faith of the Lankan First Lady was verified before allowing her into the temple and so there was no need to rake up a controversy.
Media reports in Kerala Monday morning however quoted temple authorities, saying that ritualistic cleansing would have to be undertaken in atonement.
The main priest, Chennas Raman Namboodiripad, told the local media on Sunday that “if the president’s wife is a Christian, we will have to redo all ‘poojas’ from December 30 (the day of the visit) to the present date. Cleansing rituals will have to be done as well. We have already begun preparation for the cleansing rituals”.
Although entry into the temple and its precincts are restricted to Hindus, Buddhists and Jains used to be allowed by a broad interpretation of the term Hindu.
Temple sources said Rajapakse’s cousin had also come to the temple, a couple of days before the presidential visit, to enquire about rituals and customs of the temple.
The cousin had made a booking on behalf of the president for the ritualistic weighing of the devotee thulabharam. Rajapkse was weighed 95kg in ghee.
Meanwhile, Indian High Commissioner in Colombo, Nirupama Rao, also rang up State Protocol Officer P S Sree Kumar, saying it was an unnecessary controversy.
The Peninsula newspaper reported Tuesday that President Mahinda Rajapakse rang up Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Sunday between 8 and 9pm to clarify that his wife is a Buddhist.
The Indian Embassy said Siranthi was also a follower of Sri Satyasayi Baba.
A section of the Sri Lankan media had reported that the Christian-born Siranthi had violated the tradition and practices at the Sree Krishna Temple, which bars entry to non-Hindus. The president, accompanied by his wife, had made offerings and prayed at the temple on December 30 last year for “lasting peace in the island nation”.
Chandy told The Peninsula, Quatar’s leading English language daily, that the president felt the controversy had been the creation of elements opposed to him back home.
“We were cautious and informed New Delhi prior to the visit about the restrictions regarding temple entry at Guruvayur.
“As a matter of abundant caution, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, Jayasinghe, a Christian, the president’s chief security officer Fernandes and chief of protocol, Sri Lanka, Amza, a Muslim, had stayed back at the airport during the presidential visit on December 30. They did not even accompany the VIP couple on the copter to Guruvayur”, said Chandy.
The Guruvayur temple administration said in a clarification Monday that the issue regarding the faith of the Lankan First Lady was verified before allowing her into the temple and so there was no need to rake up a controversy.
Media reports in Kerala Monday morning however quoted temple authorities, saying that ritualistic cleansing would have to be undertaken in atonement.
The main priest, Chennas Raman Namboodiripad, told the local media on Sunday that “if the president’s wife is a Christian, we will have to redo all ‘poojas’ from December 30 (the day of the visit) to the present date. Cleansing rituals will have to be done as well. We have already begun preparation for the cleansing rituals”.
Although entry into the temple and its precincts are restricted to Hindus, Buddhists and Jains used to be allowed by a broad interpretation of the term Hindu.
Temple sources said Rajapakse’s cousin had also come to the temple, a couple of days before the presidential visit, to enquire about rituals and customs of the temple.
The cousin had made a booking on behalf of the president for the ritualistic weighing of the devotee thulabharam. Rajapkse was weighed 95kg in ghee.
Meanwhile, Indian High Commissioner in Colombo, Nirupama Rao, also rang up State Protocol Officer P S Sree Kumar, saying it was an unnecessary controversy.