Thiruvananthapuram: Uttarkashi Juna Akhada Mutt Chief Swami Anandavanam Bharathi has sharply criticised the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala for denying permission to hold the Maha Magha Mahotsavam, widely described as Kerala’s Kumbh Mela, at Thirunavaya Manappuram.
Addressing a press conference, Swami Anandavanam Bharathi said the state government must immediately reconsider its decision to block the Mahotsavam and Kumbh Mela, which are scheduled to be held at Thirunavaya Manappuram from January 19 to February 3. According to him, all required authorities, including ministers and district officials, had been informed well in advance, and assurances of full cooperation were repeatedly given.
The Swami said preparations for the festival had been underway for weeks and that nearly 70 per cent of the construction work for temporary facilities had already been completed when a sudden stop memo was issued. “This last-minute obstruction, without warning and without any prior objection, is completely unacceptable. The Mahotsavam and the Kumbh Mela will be held as planned,” he declared.
He questioned the timing and intent behind the action, stating that officials who raised no objections either when applications were submitted or when large-scale construction was in progress must now explain the real motive behind the abrupt ban. Swami Anandavanam Bharathi also confirmed that the ceremonial flag hoisting for the festival would be performed on January 19 by Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, and asserted that all programmes would go ahead as scheduled. He said extensive arrangements had been made to ensure the convenience and safety of pilgrims attending the Kumbh Mela.
More than 50,000 devotees are expected to arrive daily during the event. “If basic facilities are denied to them, the state government and the district administration will be solely responsible for any consequences,” the Swami warned. He said denying facilities while also preventing organisers from arranging them amounted to gross administrative irresponsibility.
The controversy erupted after the Thirunavaya Village Officer issued a stop memo on the grounds that construction activities had allegedly encroached upon areas along the Bharathapuzha river. Rejecting this claim outright, Swami Anandavanam Bharathi said the Mahotsavam was being held at Manappuram, a site that has traditionally hosted large public and religious gatherings. “This is the same venue where numerous conferences of different religious organisations are held every year. Even the Sarvodaya Mela is organised annually at this very location without objection,” he said, pointing out the selective nature of the current restrictions. He argued that the encroachment allegation was a convenient excuse rather than a genuine concern. Leaders of the organising committee, including Sudhir Namboodiri, K. Damodaran, Vinayakumar and K. Kesavadas, were present at the press conference held at the Thrissur Brahmaswam Math. The organisers said Juna Akhada and Mata Amritanandamayi Math are the principal coordinators of the event, with Mahamandaleshwar Anandavanam Bharathi bearing overall responsibility for the Kumbh Mela. The Mahotsavam, they said, is aimed at reviving the ancient Magha Mahotsavam tradition of Thirunavaya, a sacred centre historically located at the heart of old Kerala, stretching from Gokarna to Kanyakumari.
Former Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan also came out strongly against the government order. He said extensive preparations had been made in good faith, based on official approvals and long-standing traditions associated with the Mahotsavam. “For over a month, neither the police nor revenue authorities raised any objection while construction was underway to provide basic amenities for pilgrims on the banks of the Nila river,” Rajasekharan said. He pointed out that officials continued to inspect the site daily, yet remained silent on any alleged violations. “To impose a sudden ban just days before the event points to a clear conspiracy to sabotage the Kumbh Mela and demoralise devotees,” he alleged.
He recalled that ever since the Sarvodaya Mela was held under the leadership of Kelappaji, temporary bridges have been constructed across the Bharathapuzha, and riverbanks and sandbanks have been routinely prepared to accommodate large gatherings. Providing basic infrastructure at such sites, they said, is a fundamental duty of the state.
After being banned by British authorities around 250 years ago, the Nadi (River) Puja rituals were revived by the temple head priest in 2016, with a decision to hold a grand Mahamagham in 2028. The Kerala Kumbh Mela, scheduled from January 18 to February 3, 2026, was conceived as a prelude to that historic revival, now facing what organisers describe as an unjust and politically driven obstruction by the state government.
