Sabarimala Pilgrims to Receive Kerala Sadya on Alternate Days
Pathanamthitta: The Devaswom Board has decided to offer traditional Kerala Sadya to pilgrims on alternate days as part of the Annadanam (free meal) at Sabarimala Sannidhanam. This new arrangement means that if pulao is served on one day, the Kerala Sadya will be provided on the subsequent day.
A special committee, led by the Devaswom Commissioner, was previously constituted to examine any potential legal issues regarding this initiative. Following the submission of their report, the board meeting held yesterday finalized the specific dishes for the Sadya. The feast will comprise seven traditional items, including rice, dal (parippu), sambar, avial, pickle, thoran, along with papadam and payasam. The Sadya will be served to pilgrims between 12 PM and 3 PM daily on the designated days.
The initial plan was to commence the Sadya service from last Tuesday. However, the implementation faced delays due to the time required to establish the necessary arrangements and disagreements concerning the procurement of supplies. The Devaswom Commissioner has since confirmed in their report that there are no legal impediments to acquiring the required provisions using the existing tender system.
Devaswom Board President K. Jayakumar announced that the Sadya service is expected to begin within the next three days, with preparatory procedures having commenced yesterday. The board meeting has assigned the Devaswom Commissioner the responsibility of overseeing the implementation of additional arrangements for the Sadya. Crucially, to address waste management concerns, steel plates and steel glasses will be utilized instead of traditional leaves for serving the meals. Jayakumar further assured that the Devaswom Board’s Annadanam fund currently holds nine crore rupees, ensuring sufficient financial resources for the sustained provision of the Sadya.