Sabarimala Tantri Rajeevaru resigns, proposes son as successor amid gold theft case
Kandararu Rajeevaru, the chief priest (Tantri) of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple, has sought to step down from his position and recommended his son, Kandararu Brahmadathan, as his successor. The move comes amid ongoing legal proceedings in the Sabarimala gold theft case, in which Rajeevaru has been named as an accused.
Rajeevaru submitted a letter to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) citing health reasons for his resignation. TDB officials confirmed receipt of the letter. TDB president K. Jayakumar said, “He has submitted a letter expressing his willingness to step down as the chief priest, citing ill-health, and has suggested that his son Brahmadathan be appointed in his place. Any decision on the matter will be taken with the concurrence of the High Court.”
Official sources added that Rajeevaru had also requested to be excluded from the interview board constituted for selecting the Melshanthi (head priest) of the temple.
The resignation follows Rajeevaru’s arrest on January 9, 2026, by the special investigation team (SIT) probing the alleged misappropriation of gold from the Sabarimala temple. The SIT has alleged that Rajeevaru played a role in the chain of events leading to the removal and re-plating of gold-clad temple articles, including through his alleged association with prime accused Unnikrishnan Potty. After spending about 40 days in judicial custody, he was granted bail by the Kollam Vigilance Court on February 18.
According to officials, Rajeevaru has not participated in any temple rituals in his capacity as Tantri since his release from custody, and his son has been representing him at religious events. The proposal to appoint Brahmadathan follows a precedent, as an official noted: “By seeking the appointment of his son in his place, Mr. Rajeevaru appears to be following the precedent under which Kandararu Mahesh Mohanaru was appointed as chief priest after his father was disqualified.”
The development comes at a time when Rajeevaru was scheduled to assume the Tantri responsibilities during the ongoing pilgrimage season. The TDB will now need to consult the High Court before making any decision on the succession, given the legal scrutiny surrounding the case.
