Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive at Guruvayur temple in Kerala’s Thrissur to participate in the wedding ceremony of actor-turned-politician and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Suresh Gopi’s daughter Bhagya Suresh which is scheduled to take place there on 17th January. Ahead of the visit, a claim is being on social media that 48 weddings scheduled to be held at Guruvayoor on that day have been cancelled due to this visit.
Author Mini Nair was one among such persons who tried to disseminate misinformation by claiming that “48 weddings that were scheduled at the Guruvayoor were cancelled” because of PM Modi’s visit.
Notably, the Guruvayur Devaswom has clarified that no marriages will be cancelled on 17th January in light of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the temple, notwithstanding the confusion caused by the propaganda campaign on social media. The marriage ceremonies scheduled on the day have been only rescheduled by the temple authorities. 39 of the 65 marriages planned for that date will be held between 5 am to 6 am whereas 9 ceremonies were set in this period earlier. Now, a total of 48 marriages will occur from 5 am to 6 am and the remaining will be solemnised after 9:30 am.
Attendees will need to obtain a pass from the police by providing a copy of their ID card and a photo. The prime minister will reportedly show up at the temple at 8 am to perform darshan and proceed to the wedding ceremony before leaving at 8.45 am. There will be stringent limitations in place from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. The control measures will be implemented in cooperation with the police and central security agencies.
Guruvayur Devaswom Board Chairman Dr V K Vijayan proclaimed, “I would like to assure the families who have booked marriage at Guruvayur on January 17 that no marriage will be cancelled. But we will have to reschedule the timings and a decision will be taken regarding this at the meeting with SPG officials scheduled at 10.30 am on Sunday. I urge the families not to get confused over rumours. The marriages would have been fixed months ago and the families arrive after a lot of preparations. There is nothing reprehensible than forcing these families to cancel the marriage. Guruvayur Devaswom will never do that.”
After the temple announced that some weddings would be rescheduled, people were showing apprehension that it could mean the massages being solemnised outside the prescribed auspicious time. However, the temple said that there is no auspicious time or muhurtham at the Guruvayur temple.
Vijayan explained that since marriages in Guruvayur are sanctified in front of Lord Krishna, there is no ‘muhurtham’ or auspicious period for them to take place. “It is a matter of devotion and Guruvayur Devaswom will provide all possible help to realise their desire to get the marriage solemnised in front of Guruvayurappan. As many as 64 marriages were booked till Thursday and now the number has crossed 70.”
Concerning the limitations on the guest count for weddings, he noted that a maximum of 20 individuals can attend a wedding and that these constraints have been in place for years. “There will be more than 100 marriages on some days and if all the devotees throng the temple there will be a huge rush. The restrictions were implemented to avoid stampede.”
According to him, the daughter of Suresh Gopi has been given the same time slot as three other marriages. Families shared a wish that the couples be allowed to receive the prime minister’s blessings. During a meeting with the Special Protection Group (SPG) authorities, a decision regarding these requests will also be reached. However, customs such as ‘choroonu’ (rice feeding ceremony) and ‘thulabharam’ (Hindu practice in which a person is weighed against commodities which are later donated) will be suspended while PM Modi is in the temple.
His presence at the temple would be restricted to the bare minimum of staff and priests required to carry out the rituals. Dr V K Vijayan highlighted, “The families who arrive for ‘choroonu’ may be provided opportunity after the departure of the PM. But I would like to request parents to avoid the function as the heavy rush and restrictions may be unbearable to the children.”
PM Modi will arrive at Kochi Naval Airport at 5 pm on 16th January where he will undertake a roadshow from Maharaja’s College to Ernakulam Government Guest House. He will spend the night there. He is taking a helicopter at 7 am to Guruvayur the next day. He will return to Kochi after the wedding to officially inaugurate the International Ship Repair Facility and Dry Dock at Cochin Shipyard at 10 in the morning. He will also address a meeting of party workers of the ‘Shaktikendra,’ the party’s booth-level organisational empowerment committee in the state at Marine Driveat Marine Drive at 11 am and return to Delhi after lunch.
