09-27-2006, 11:33 AM
The infamous Kerala astrologer, Parappanagadi Unnikrishna Panikker has turned out to be a big fraud. In the incident below related to "Deva Prasnam" at Shabarimala, he claimed that there was a female presence at the temple. The Tanthri who opposed him was later got into trouble with a racked headed by one Shobha John. Looks like it needs to be investigated if this infamous astrologer is working in tandem with missionaries to defame Shabarimala. He shot into celebrety status when he predicted Jayalalitha coming to power when everything was against her. I remember SV Badri saying that Panikker was involved in Thirupathi episode too.
Police see conspiracy behind Jaimala episode
Pioneer News Service | Thiruvananthapuram
The police team, which probed Kannada actress Jaimala's claim that she had entered the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala disregarding the ban on women in the 10-50 age group, has hinted at the possibility of a conspiracy to defame the shrine and its authorities.
Sources said the inquiry found that there were 'strong reasons' to suspect a conspiracy between the actress and astrologer Parappanangadi Unnikrishna Panicker - who conducted a Devprasnam (astrological examination) which concluded that women of menstruating age had entered the temple premises - to show the temple authorities and priests in poor light.
The special probe team headed by SP, Crime Branch, Ramachandran Nair, found that Jaimala and Unnikrishna Panicker knew each other for many years. In fact, Panicker had even performed a prasnam at Jaimala's residence in 2004, the sources said.
Police say it is significant that the actress made her claim of having visited the shrine 20 years ago shortly after the devaprasnam conducted by Panicker found gross improprieties in the conduct of the temple rituals by priests.
A section of the priests had then questioned the propriety of Panicker's open comments during and after the devaprasnam. The inquiry report holds that it is possible that the Jaimala episode could be the result of a conspiracy. The report would be submitted to the Government shortly, sources said.
Various leaders and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which is in charge of the administration of the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala, had expressed doubts that there could be a conspiracy behind Jaimala's claim.
TDB president G Raman Nair and members MB Sreekumar and Punalur Madhu said that the board viewed the police conclusion about conspiracy seriously. They have said that no astrological prescriptions by Panicker other than those related to pooja procedures would be implemented at the temple. Sabarimala temple Tanthri Kantararu Maheswaru, responding to the police revelation, said that the investigators should track down the people behind the conspiracy.
The Sabarimala temple was mired in a controversy after actor Jayamala claimed that she had visited the temple in 1987 when she was 27 years old and had even touched the feet of the idol in the sanctum sanctorum after she was pushed in by a jostling crowd of devotees. Jayamala had refused to meet an investigating officer in Bangalore.
Priests and other temple authorities had said that the claim by the Kannada actress could not be true given the situations at the shrine.
The Jayamala issue had sparked off serious debates in social circles over the right of women to worship Lord Ayyappa at the Sabarimala temple. Even a case was filed in the Supreme Court seeking permission for women to pay obeisance at the hill shrine.
Police see conspiracy behind Jaimala episode
Pioneer News Service | Thiruvananthapuram
The police team, which probed Kannada actress Jaimala's claim that she had entered the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala disregarding the ban on women in the 10-50 age group, has hinted at the possibility of a conspiracy to defame the shrine and its authorities.
Sources said the inquiry found that there were 'strong reasons' to suspect a conspiracy between the actress and astrologer Parappanangadi Unnikrishna Panicker - who conducted a Devprasnam (astrological examination) which concluded that women of menstruating age had entered the temple premises - to show the temple authorities and priests in poor light.
The special probe team headed by SP, Crime Branch, Ramachandran Nair, found that Jaimala and Unnikrishna Panicker knew each other for many years. In fact, Panicker had even performed a prasnam at Jaimala's residence in 2004, the sources said.
Police say it is significant that the actress made her claim of having visited the shrine 20 years ago shortly after the devaprasnam conducted by Panicker found gross improprieties in the conduct of the temple rituals by priests.
A section of the priests had then questioned the propriety of Panicker's open comments during and after the devaprasnam. The inquiry report holds that it is possible that the Jaimala episode could be the result of a conspiracy. The report would be submitted to the Government shortly, sources said.
Various leaders and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which is in charge of the administration of the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala, had expressed doubts that there could be a conspiracy behind Jaimala's claim.
TDB president G Raman Nair and members MB Sreekumar and Punalur Madhu said that the board viewed the police conclusion about conspiracy seriously. They have said that no astrological prescriptions by Panicker other than those related to pooja procedures would be implemented at the temple. Sabarimala temple Tanthri Kantararu Maheswaru, responding to the police revelation, said that the investigators should track down the people behind the conspiracy.
The Sabarimala temple was mired in a controversy after actor Jayamala claimed that she had visited the temple in 1987 when she was 27 years old and had even touched the feet of the idol in the sanctum sanctorum after she was pushed in by a jostling crowd of devotees. Jayamala had refused to meet an investigating officer in Bangalore.
Priests and other temple authorities had said that the claim by the Kannada actress could not be true given the situations at the shrine.
The Jayamala issue had sparked off serious debates in social circles over the right of women to worship Lord Ayyappa at the Sabarimala temple. Even a case was filed in the Supreme Court seeking permission for women to pay obeisance at the hill shrine.