Family making 'Onavillu' in a trademark battle with Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple

Thiruvananthapuram: The Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple administration and Onavillu family based in Thiruvananthapuram are caught in a battle over the trademark of Onavillu, a bow-shaped religious artefact which is offered to the deity of Padmanabhaswamy temple on Thiruvonam day.
Trade Marks Registry, Government of India has issued a trademark for Onavillu to Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple.

The temple authorities while filing an application for the trademark also filed a petition to cancel the trademark earlier issued to Binkumar, the chief craftsman and head of the Onavillu family. “Binkumar is the service provider. Notices were served to him for selling Onavillu, but he claimed his right for sale using the trademark. This has been contested. The petition for cancellation of the trademark granted to him is pending. The temple now has a registered trademark for Onavillu,” said Advocate Bindu Sankarapillai, who represents the temple.

Binkumar has filed a counter-petition challenging the issuance of the trademark to the temple. Binkumar, who heads the family which crafts Onavillu, said that he earlier applied for a trademark in 2011 and he received the trademark in 2017 which has been renewed till 2031. “We have filed a petition against trademark being issued to the temple,” he said.

In the petition filed by the temple seeking cancellation of the trademark issued to Binkumar, it was pointed out that while Onavillu family is supposed to make the bow as per the directions and instructions of the temple, it assumes significance only when it is sanctified by the temple as per the customary religious rites followed by the temple. The petition notes that Binkumar got the trademark for Onavillu by misrepresenting facts.

It also cites a letter sent to Binkumar asking him not to make or sell Onavillu to the public. The temple submitted evidence dating to 1960 and also quoted from Mathilakam documents pertaining to the history of Travancore and Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple.

The counter-statement filed by Binkumar notes that the temple has no proprietary rights over Onavillu and that he and other members of the family are the authorised craftsmen to make Onavillu.

Onavillu consists of a wooden part where paintings of the deity are done and red strings attached to it. There was a legal battle earlier after the Attukal temple trust secured the trademark for the picture of the deity and the title 'Sabarimala of women'.