Tamil Nadu Govt’s Free Pongal Dhotis Allegedly Used for Irumudi Kettu at Sabarimala Pampa
Pathanamthitta: A controversy has emerged over allegations that dhotis distributed free of cost by the Tamil Nadu government as part of its 2025 Pongal gift scheme are being used to prepare Irumudi Kettu for Sabarimala pilgrims at Pampa.
Pilgrims from Tamil Nadu have alleged that dhotis originally meant for economically weaker sections were found being used at the Kettunira centre near the Ganapathi Temple at Pampa, which operates under the supervision of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).
The Devaswom Board provides Kettunira facilities at Pampa for pilgrims arriving without an Irumudi Kettu. A fee of Rs 300 is charged for preparing each Irumudi Kettu.
According to the complainants, some pilgrims received Irumudi Kettu prepared using dhotis bearing the Tamil Nadu government's official seal. This has raised questions about how clothing distributed free of cost through the state's welfare scheme reached the pilgrimage centre.
The pilgrims suspect that the dhotis may have been diverted from ration shops through middlemen and subsequently supplied for preparing Irumudi Kettu at Pampa. However, these allegations have not been independently verified.
The complainants have questioned whether garments intended for free distribution among economically disadvantaged families in Tamil Nadu are being commercially used at Sabarimala.
Meanwhile, Travancore Devaswom Board President K. Jayakumar did not provide a clear explanation when questioned by media representatives about the presence of Tamil Nadu government-issued dhotis at the Kettunira centre.
Questions remain over how the Tamil Nadu government's free Pongal dhotis were obtained and used for Irumudi Kettu preparation at Pampa.