Guruvayur Devaswom should consider renaming ‘Kodathi Vilakku': Kerala High Court

The Guruvayur Devaswom managing committee has been directed to consider renaming ‘Kodathi Vilakku’, a ceremony conducted at the Guruvayur Sree Krishna Swami temple by advocates practising before the Chavakkad Court under the Sree Guruvayurappan Ekadashi Court Vilakku Celebration Committee.The court found that there was no justification to prohibit the conduct of the Vilakku or similar events, since there was no material “to indicate that the event is conducted in a manner inconsistent with constitutional or institutional principles, or that any Judicial Officer is required or compelled to participate in the programme.” However, it held that the name “Kodathi Vilakku” may create an impression of an association with the judiciary in an event connected to a particular religious tradition.The Division Bench of Justices V. Rajavijayaraghavan and K.V. Jayakumar was considering a Devaswom Board petition registered on a complaint by the Administrator of Gurubaba Ashram, Guruvayur, alleging that despite the ceremony being banned in 2022, it was still being conducted at the temple. The complainant argued that the conduct of ‘Kodathi Vilakku’ and the celebration therein belittled the importance of ‘Ekadashi Vratham’. She further argued that the practice of organising ‘Kodathi Vilakku’, ‘Police Vilakku’, ‘Postal Vilakku’, ‘SBI Vilakku’, ‘Canara Bank Vilakku’, and ‘Dhanalakshmi Vilakku’ should be banned in the temple.The Guruvayur Devaswom managing committee informed the court that ‘Kodathi Vilakku’ is a practice of Chuttuvilakku in connection with the Guruvayur Ekadashi festival, which commenced during the reign of Zamoothiri Raja, the erstwhile ruler. It continued over the years as the temple sought financial support from the affluent families in the vicinity of the temple, government and semi-government institutions, including banks, post office, judicial institutions and so on. Among the 18 Chuttuvilak held during the festival, a ‘Munsiff Vilakku’ was conducted by lawyers of Munsiff Court, Chavakkad, and a ‘Police Vilakku’ by the Kerala Police. Additionally, Kodathi Vilakku celebration committee stated that the complainant was mistaken about the ban on the conduct of ‘Kodathi Vilakku.’ They said that the Vilakku was widely accepted among members of the legal fraternity. It was contended that there was no compulsion on any judicial officer to attend the Kodathi Vilakku Celebrations and that there is no active role for any judicial officer in the Ekadasi Kodathi Vilakku.The Guruvayur Devaswom informed the court that the ceremony had been organised for several decades in a secular manner. The court was apprised that even believers of other religions would actively participate in the programmes organised outside the temple. Published - July 29, 2026 08:09 pm IST