Sabarimala Faces Possible Ghee Shortage as Mandala Season Nears; TDB Holds Talks with Milma
Thiruvananthapuram: With the Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season barely a week away, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) is considering procuring ghee from the Kerala-based dairy cooperative Milma to address a possible shortage at Sabarimala. Two rounds of tendering to procure 50,000 litres of ghee failed to attract eligible bidders, prompting the Board to explore alternative arrangements.
Although Milma did not participate in the tenders, the TDB has held discussions with office-bearers of the Milma Thiruvananthapuram Regional Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union. Board president K. Jayakumar said no final decision had been taken on purchasing ghee from Milma for Aravana production. The Board will seek legal advice before proceeding.
Jayakumar said the anticipated shortage at the beginning of the season was around 10,000 litres and there was no immediate cause for concern. Ghee supplies are expected to increase after the temple opens on November 16. However, the shortage could affect production until additional supplies arrive.
Meanwhile, preparations for Aravana production are progressing, with the Board currently holding a stock of 30 lakh tins. Around three lakh tins have already been produced, accounting for nearly 75% of the work completed so far, according to Jayakumar. The Board is making arrangements to produce 3.5 lakh tins daily and plans to manufacture another 30 lakh tins in the coming days. Appam production will also begin according to a fixed schedule.
The Board has expressed confidence in the availability of Aravana and Appam during the pilgrimage season and said there were no major concerns regarding maintenance work at the production plant.
The TDB had earlier acknowledged shortcomings in arrangements during the Sree Chithira Atta Vishesham, when delays in Appam production left the prasadam unavailable for nearly two hours in the morning. Water supply disruptions were also reported in some areas. The Board attributed the issues to delays in finalising new contracts after the previous agreements expired on October 31.
Meanwhile, the deadline for completing construction, maintenance and other preparatory works ahead of the pilgrimage season expires on Tuesday. Despite the Board's claims that preparations are nearing completion, several works at Sannidhanam and Nilakkal, including road reconstruction, reportedly remain unfinished and may require another week to complete.
The possible procurement from Milma comes amid an ongoing Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) investigation into the supply of adulterated ghee to Sannidhanam in Milma's name during the previous pilgrimage season. The investigation found that a contractor entrusted with transporting the ghee had diverted around 11,000 kg of Milma ghee meant for Sabarimala and replaced it with a cheaper product.