In a shocking incident at the revered Trichy Srirangam Ranganatha Temple, known as the first Divya Desam among the 108 Vaishnava Divya Desams and revered as Bhuloka Vaikundam, foreign devotees faced an attack by three security guards and one temple staff member. The temple, attracting tens of thousands of devotees from various countries daily, witnessed a distressing episode that has sparked widespread concern.
This morning, Ayyappa devotees arrived at the temple for darshan of Ranganatha, engaging in worship and chanting ‘Govinda Govinda’ in devotional fervor at the Moolasthana. The situation took a turn for the worse when Ravi, a police officer on security duty, and three temple security staff members instructed the devotees not to chant ‘Govinda Govinda’ in that particular area.
The Ayyappa devotees, expressing their traditional practice, explained that chanting ‘Govinda Govinda’ during their visit to Perumal was customary. However, this led to an altercation, and the infuriated police officer and temple staff members attacked the Ayyappa devotees. Unfortunately, one devotee suffered serious injuries during the assault.
Outraged by the incident, Ayyappa devotees protested vehemently. The Srirangam police and temple staff, upon learning about the situation, are currently engaged in talks to pacify the distressed devotees.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety and treatment of foreign devotees visiting the historic temple, known for its spiritual significance. Authorities are expected to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter to ensure justice for the affected devotee and to prevent such incidents in the future.