Secret Devaprasnam irks Padavedu locals

CHENNAI: A ‘Devaprasnam’, being held by Kerala-based astrologer Parappanangadi Unnikrishna Panicker at the Arulmigu Renugambal Amman temple in Padavedu village in Thiruvannamalai district since Monday, has caused resentment among the locals, who are questioning the wisdom behind inviting the disgraced astrologer, besides wondering why it was being held now in a secretive manner.On Tuesday morning, Panicker was closeted with some temple officials, such as the executive officer and manager, inside the guest house at the back of temple when this reporter visited the premises. Guards prevented this reporter from going near the guest house and offered to call the executive officer out for interaction without explaining what was going on.Later, the group moved from the temple to the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine and the doors were closed, forcing devotees to wait. Most of the local people were not aware of the Devaprasnam — an astrological ritual conducted to know the mind of the deity on various issues. Secret Ritual Baffles LocalsIn the past, village elders and panchayat leaders of Padavedu

and neighbouring villages would be invited to attend the devaprasnam,

which would be an open affair unlike the present one being held by

Kerala-based astrologer Parappanangadi Unnikrishna Panicker at the

Arulmigu Renugambal Amman temple in Padavedu in Thiruvannamalai

district. It is being organised in a secretive manner, said

Shekharan, former panchayat chairman. “We have no idea why the ritual is

being held now in the temple, whose kumbabishekam was conducted only a

few months back,” he said.The locals said Panicker had held many a

devaprasnam in the temple before he was caught in a controversy after

holding a similar ritual at the Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala in 2006.

Former chairman of the temple trust, Venugopal, was also not aware of

the ritual, which is expected to go on until Wednesday.