New caparison: Court asks CDB to maintain status quo

Kochi: The Ernakulam munsiff court on Friday directed the Cochin Devaswom Board (CDB) to maintain status quo on the move to replace the century-old gold caparison of Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple, Tripunithura.

The court issued the order on Friday on a petition filed by Sreekanth Varma and Sanjay Varma, members of the Kochi royal family, against the board's plan to replace the old caparison with a new one.

The devaswom board had decided to make a new caparison and silver umbrella (vellikuda) converting the old one, which was made during the reign of the erstwhile Kochi royal family. "As per the injunction order, the old caparison would be maintained. However, work on the new caparison will go on as per the previous schedule. We have been using the old gold stock in the 'kallara' (strong room) of the temple," said Tripunithura devaswom officer E K Ajayakumar.

The CDB had decided to make the new caparison after the Kerala high court allowed the temple authority to make the new one using the gold from temple holdings offered by devotees, added Ajayakumar. It was also decided to make the new caparison, weighing around 6kg, in 'choorapoli' style.

The caparison is used for five days during the 'Vrischikotsavam' festival and eight days, from 'Chothi' to 'Thiruvonam', during the Malayalam month of 'Kumbham'. The board had decided to make the new caparison as the old one had become too small for the tuskers.