The Kerala high court on Thursday asked the Travancore Devaswom Board to explain if the “Makaravilakku” light at Sabarimala was a “man-made” phenomenon or not.
A high court bench comprising Justices Thottathil Radhakrishnan and C.V. Gopinath, taking up reports by the board, the police and the forest department on the
stampede in which 102 people were killed, asked the authorities to clarify the difference between “Makaravilakku” and “Makarajyoti”.
When the board’s counsel said the phenomenon was a matter of faith, the judges were not satisfied and said the people had a right to know the truth about Makaravilakku. This, they said, would not affect their faith.
Kerala chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan said his government had no plans to investigate Makaravilakku. “Many people go to worship Makarajyoti and Makaravilakku. It is part of their faith. The government will not ask astrologers or scientists of any persuasion to inquire into the issue.”