Sabarimala spirituality beyond religion: Pinarayi

Quoting Bhagavad Gita, CM says true devotees will never oppose sangamam

- JAISON WILSON @Pampa

CHIEF Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday said Sabarimala embodies a rare spiritual inclusiveness that transcends caste, creed and religion, and the Global Ayyappa Sangamam aims to showcase this unique ethos to the world while lashing out at 'distractors' of the event.

"It gives me immense joy to be part of this congregation of Ayyappa devotees," he began, recalling the legend of Sabari, the tribal ascetic after whom Sabarimala is named. "The shrine stands as a temple beyond divisions, a place that upholds secular spiritual values open to all." Tracing the evolution of the shrine from a regional pilgrimage to an international spiritual destination, the CM noted that the ever-growing influx of devotees calls for major interventions. "This congregation is not about what the government or the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) alone decides.