Kerala: Sabarimala gold scam fails to keep away pilgrims as revenues soar
Sabarimala, Dec 1
With the beginning of the Sabarimala Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season on a robust note, the shrine has recorded a revenue of Rs 92 crore in the first 15 days, even when six people closely associated with the famed temple have been arrested on account of the gold scam, which appears to have no impact on the Ayappa devotees.
According to preliminary estimates, around 1.3 million devotees visited the shrine in the first 15 days of the festival season.
It has registered a sharp 33.33 per cent increase compared to the Rs 69 crore collected during the same period last year.
The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) views the figures as a strong indicator of revived post-pandemic pilgrim inflow and improved revenue management.
A major share of the earnings once again came from Aravana, the sacred sweet rice pudding offered as prasadam, which alone generated Rs 47 crore, significantly higher than last year’s Rs 32 crore for the same period.
Appam sales amounted to Rs 3.5 crore, remaining largely consistent with last year’s figures.
Offerings (kanikka) contributed Rs 26 crore, improving from Rs 22 crore during the previous season.
Despite minor logistical hiccups in the early phase of the season, officials say the pilgrimage operations have now stabilised, with crowd flow, booking systems, and prasadam distribution functioning smoothly.
In compliance with a High Court directive, authorities have reduced spot bookings to better manage crowds.
A reported 13 lakh devotees have already visited the hill shrine during the first two weeks of the season.
Apart from Aravana, Sabarimala also prepares and offers three other traditional payasams — Idichu Pizhinja Payasam, Ellu Payasam, and Vella Nivedyam — each with designated pooja timings.
Idichu Pizhinja Payasam, made using freshly extracted coconut milk and jaggery, is offered during the Usha pooja at 7:30 a.m.
Aravana is presented during the Ucha pooja at 12 noon, while Vella Nivedyam is offered during all pooja sessions.
Ellu Payasam, primarily comprising sesame, is the special offering during the Athazha pooja at 9:15 p.m.
During the Athazha pooja, Panakam (a herbal spiced drink), Appam, and Ada are also offered.
A traditional medicinal concoction, Panakam is made of jaggery, cumin, dry ginger, and black pepper.
Panchamrutam, a blend of eight sacred ingredients, is used for abhishekam when the temple opens at 3 a.m.
Officially, only Aravana and Panchamrutam are sold as prasadam, with Panchamrutam priced at Rs 125 in half-size bottles of the standard Aravana tin.
— IANS
Reader Comments
While it's heartening to see the pilgrimage thriving, we cannot simply ignore the gold scam. The authorities must ensure complete transparency. Our devotion is pure, but the management of temple funds and assets must be beyond reproach. Justice should be served.
Rs 47 crore from Aravana alone! 😲 That's incredible. It just goes to show how central the prasadam is to the whole experience. The descriptions of the other payasams and Panakam made me nostalgic. Can't wait for my turn to visit this season.
Good to hear about the reduced spot bookings for crowd management. The pilgrimage should be a spiritual experience, not a stressful struggle. Hope the improved systems mean shorter queues and better facilities for everyone, especially the elderly.
Visiting Sabarimala was a profoundly moving experience. The article's detail about the rituals and offerings is fascinating. The resilience of the pilgrimage tradition, continuing strongly despite challenges, is a testament to its deep cultural and spiritual significance.
The numbers are impressive, but let's hope this revenue is used properly for temple maintenance, devotee amenities, and charitable works. The TDB has a responsibility to rebuild any trust lost due to the scam. The devotees' faith funds the temple; it must be honoured.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.