It Feels Like God's Will: Only Ghee Brought by Devotees to Be Used at Sabarimala, Says K. Jayakumar
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: Responding to allegations surrounding the quality and procurement of ghee for the Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa Swamy temple, Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) President K. Jayakumar said there had been no indication of any problem with the ghee distributed at Sabarimala until the recent reports emerged.
At Sabarimala, ghee is an essential ingredient in the preparation of Aravana, Appam and Panchamritham, and is also used in the prasadam offered to Lord Ayyappa.
Jayakumar said the Board had already decided that there was no need to procure ghee from outside by paying for it, as sufficient quantities were available at Sabarimala through offerings made by devotees.
"Until these reports surfaced, there had been no indication of any issue with the ghee distributed at Sabarimala. The Board had already decided that there was no need to procure ghee by paying for it, as sufficient quantities were available at Sabarimala. Devotees themselves bring enough ghee to meet the temple's requirements," Jayakumar said.
He clarified that ensuring the quality of ghee falls under the responsibility of the Food Safety Department, which regularly collects and tests samples.
"It is the responsibility of the Food Safety Department to verify the quality of the ghee. They conduct tests on collected samples. If the ghee supplied to Sabarimala is found to be of poor quality, that is a serious matter. But what lapse has the Board committed?" he asked.
Jayakumar added that if there were allegations of wrongdoing or collusion in the procurement process, the Devaswom Vigilance should investigate the matter.
"The Board decision not to purchase ghee from outside for the upcoming pilgrimage season has turned out to be the right one. It is God's will," Jayakumar said.
Devaswom Vigilance SP will inquire into the allegations regarding the supply of poor-quality ghee by Milma to Sabarimala.
The Dairy Development Department had earlier reported that more than 1.5 lakh litres of poor-quality ghee reached Sannidhanam, leading to a loss of over ₹85 lakh to Milma.