TDB Assures Minister Of Smooth Sabarimala Season Amid Payasam Concerns

Travancore Devaswom Board president K. Jayakumar has assured Devaswom Minister K Muraleedharan that preparations are being taken forward for a smooth Sabarimala pilgrimage season, after concerns were raised over aravana payasam availability and procurement delays.

TDB briefs Minister on Sabarimala preparations

Mr. Jayakumar met Mr. Muraleedharan at the Minister’s office on Friday morning, September 25, 2026, and the meeting lasted more than 15 minutes.

The TDB president briefed the Minister on preparations for the upcoming Sabarimala pilgrimage season.

The meeting came after Mr. Muraleedharan had recently expressed displeasure over the shortage of aravana payasam at Sabarimala and delays in the TDB tendering process for procuring raw materials ahead of the pilgrimage season.

Mr. Jayakumar had earlier attributed the aravana payasam shortage to an unexpected increase in the number of devotees.

He had also said the Board was taking steps to increase production capacity ahead of the pilgrimage season.

The upcoming Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season will commence on November 16.

Minister says government and Board will work together

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr. Muraleedharan said the government and the TDB would work together to ensure that devotees do not face difficulties during the pilgrimage season.

“The Board and the government are working together. He has given an assurance that this season’s pilgrimage will be made smoothly. Therefore, there is no scope for apprehension. We will move forward together,” the Minister said.

Mr. Muraleedharan also referred to the Chief Minister’s interaction with the TDB president while explaining the coordination between the government and the Board.

“The Chief Minister had spoken with him. With the Board and the government working together, things will go smoothly this time without any difficulty for the devotees,” he said.

Asked whether recent developments had caused a rift between the government and the Board, Mr. Muraleedharan said apprehensions had naturally arisen because the government would have to answer if there were any hindrances during the pilgrimage.

“But the Board itself took the initiative in that matter to reach an understanding. Not only that, he has agreed to directly give a report on works carried out in Sabarimala every week,” he said.

Earlier briefing to Chief Minister

Mr. Jayakumar had also met Chief Minister V D Satheesan recently and briefed him about the preparations at Sabarimala.

The Minister said the Chief Minister had spoken with the TDB president, and placed that conversation in the context of the Board and the government working together for the pilgrimage season.

The meeting with Mr. Muraleedharan therefore assumes significance because it followed the Minister’s public displeasure over aravana payasam shortage and tendering delays, and came amid assurances from the TDB on preparations.

October 31 target for works

The TDB has said preparations for the pilgrimage season will be completed by October 31.

Steps are also being taken to increase the daily production capacity of aravana payasam.

The Board has also said steps are being taken to improve crowd management arrangements at Nilakkal.

Together, the stated measures cover the issues flagged in the run-up to the season: completion of preparations, higher aravana payasam production and crowd management at Nilakkal.

The report was published on September 25, 2026, at 10:18 am IST.

Source: The Hindu