Sivagiri Mutt in Kerala to Launch Protest Demanding Non-Hindu Entry into Guruvayur Temple
Thiruvananthapuram: The Sivagiri Mutt, founded by social reformer Sree Narayana Guru, has announced a protest to push for non-Hindus to be allowed into the Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple. Leading this bold move is Swami Satchidananda, the head of the Mutt, who is using the famous singer K.J. Yesudas’ long-time wish to visit the temple as a key example to support his cause.
Swami Satchidananda, whose ideas often lean toward leftist views, sees this protest as a way to challenge Hindu temple rules, calling them unfair and old-fashioned. He points to Yesudas, a Christian known for singing beautiful Hindu devotional songs, who has been stopped from entering the temple because of his religion. “We will fight against the rule that bans non-Hindus from temples.
Everyone who believes, no matter their religion, should be let in. It’s wrong that Yesudas, who has done so much for Hindu music, can’t enter. These old rules need to go,” Satchidananda told the media. However, many critics say he’s attacking Hindu traditions on purpose, claiming he’s following a leftist plan to weaken the Hinduism .
The Guruvayur Temple, located in Kerala’s Thrissur district, follows a long-standing tradition of allowing only Hindus inside, based on its deep spiritual roots. Satchidananda isn’t stopping there—he also wants the temple to use prayer songs written by Sree Narayana Guru, which some see as him trying to control how Hindu temples are run. The date for the protest hasn’t been set yet.
Satchidananda has stirred trouble before. He has also strongly backed letting women of all ages into the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, a place that traditionally didn’t allow women of menstruating age. This became a big issue after a 2018 Supreme Court decision said women could enter, upsetting many devotees. His support for this change has angered those who value Hindu customs, who see him as trying to break their traditions while pretending it’s about fairness. They say he’s teaming up with leftist groups to make holy places less religious.
The Guruvayur Devaswom Board Chairman, V.K. Vijayan, said there’s no plan right now to change the temple’s rules, showing they’re against Satchidananda’s demands. Meanwhile, Yesudas, who is 85, has long wanted to visit Guruvayur but can’t because he’s not Hindu. Interestingly, he’s allowed into Sabarimala,
Satchidananda has a history of pushing controversial changes. Recently, he fought to let men wear shirts into temples, a rule some temples under left influence dropped despite pushback from Hindu groups. This success has made him bolder. Critics argue he’s taking the Sivagiri Mutt away from Sree Narayana Guru’s spiritual path and turning it into a tool for leftist ideas that harm Hindu traditions.