CPM Organisation Opposes Replacing Pulav with Sadhya at Sabarimala
Thiruvananthapuram: A collective of retired employees of the Travancore Devaswom Board has raised objections to the proposal to replace pulav with the traditional Kerala sadhya for annadanam at Sabarimala. The Kerala State Devaswom Pensioners’ Confederation, a CPM-affiliated body, stated that serving sadhya would place a heavy financial burden on the board and urged a reconsideration of the decision.
According to the organisation, serving high-quality food is sufficient, and the menu was originally designed to suit the large number of devotees arriving from neighbouring states. The pulav prepared at Ponnaniyil was introduced after taking into account the preferences of ministers and representatives from other states.
They argued that serving a full sadhya — comprising rice, dal, pappadam, avial, thoran, pickle, and payasam — would cost the board several crores of rupees extra each season. Devotees from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka may not prefer sadhya, they added. Since the majority of pilgrims come from neighbouring states, continuing with pulav is more practical, the Confederation said in a joint statement by President R. Shaji Sharma, Working President T. Chandran, General Secretary Anayara Chandran, and Treasurer Muralidharan Nair.
The system of annadanam at Sabarimala began during the tenure of a previous board, with the approval of the High Court. Contributions from devotees are used to fund annadanam through a trust that includes the Devaswom Commissioner, Accounts Officer, and Sabarimala Executive Officer. Reports suggest that the trust currently lacks sufficient funds to support the cost of serving sadhya. If implemented, the board would be forced to draw from its general fund.
The Confederation also pointed out that during crises such as COVID-19 and floods, the government had to allocate ₹140 crore to ensure payment of salaries and pensions. Considering the financial situation, the organisation urged that the decision to serve sadhya be reviewed carefully.