No Place for Middlemen at Sabarimala, Says TDB President K. Jayakumar
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Travancore Devaswom Board president K. Jayakumar has said that intermediaries have been largely eliminated from Sabarimala, sending a strong message that middlemen have no place at the revered hill shrine. He made these remarks during an interview on media channel.
Jayakumar stressed that there is no need for intermediaries between devotees and Lord Ayyappa. Highlighting reforms introduced during the Makaravilakku season, he said 125 rooms at Sannidhanam were allotted directly to ordinary devotees. In the past, these rooms had reportedly been controlled by intermediaries and agencies, who allegedly sold them for prices as high as Rs 1.5 lakh. Under the new system, the rooms are now being made available to devotees at affordable rates ranging from Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000.
“We have been able to control the misuse of Devaswom Board facilities by intermediaries to a certain extent,” Jayakumar said. He also revealed that irregularities had been detected in rooms allotted to donors and that steps would be taken to reclaim such rooms.
Emphasising his firm stance, Jayakumar said his approach at Sabarimala would not tolerate any form of unauthorised mediation. “I will not allow any intermediary here. A clear message has been sent that it will no longer be easy for those who assume authority that does not traditionally exist at Sabarimala and collect money in their own places,” he said.
The Devaswom Board president also announced that guidelines are being prepared for sponsorships. According to him, sponsorships will be accepted only for building construction or other specific requirements of the Devaswom Board. Sponsors will be directly approached, proper agreements will be executed, and the entire process will be transparent. “Only sponsors with a clear identity and who pay income tax will be accepted,” he added.
The measures, Jayakumar said, are aimed at ensuring transparency, protecting devotees from exploitation, and preserving the traditional and spiritual sanctity of Sabarimala.