Guruvayur: The famed Sri Krishna Temple here in Kerala's Thrissur district is thronged all year round by devotees. The rush intensifies during the famed pooram, holidays and other auspicious days. Holding weddings at the temple is a challenge for the temple administrators - the Guruvayur Devaswom - as well as the families of the bride and groom as they have to make way through the crowd and conduct the rituals in a frenzied ambience.
To avoid the extra rush during weddings, the Devaswom has made special arrangements and restrictions at the kalyana mandapam (raised platform for weddings) in front of the temple. It has introduced a token system so that each wedding party will gain access to the mandapams by turns. During one's turn only eight members can accompany the bride and the groom to the stage.
As per the new regulation, permission is given to only two photographers and two videographers to capture the wedding moments for which a fee of Rs 500 is charged. Moreover, the three wedding platforms at the East Nada have been separated by steel fences.
On February 10 the temple hosted a record 207 weddings. Reportedly, several brides and grooms and their kin had a hard time braving the heavy rush to reach the mandapam.
Following reports carried in 'Manorama' on this, Devaswom chairman K B Mohandas intervened in the matter and directed to introduce token system to regulate the crowd.
Meanwhile, there are complaints about the Devaswom's decision to levy an additional fee of Rs 500 for taking wedding pictures. The temple already charges a fee of Rs 500 for conducting marriage.
