Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government is considering an IAS officer-led committee to oversee the upcoming Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage at Sabarimala, amid concerns over preparations and procurement by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).
Devaswom Minister K Muraleedharan said the government has sought legal advice from the Advocate General on the proposal. If the legal opinion is favourable, the government will approach the Kerala High Court before taking a final decision.
“We have sought legal advice from the advocate general on the proposal. If the response is positive, we will make a request to the High Court. A final call will be taken after a meeting with the chief minister,” Muraleedharan said.
The proposed temporary arrangement would include the Pathanamthitta district collector, with other details to be finalised after consultations.
Why is the government considering the move?
The proposal comes ahead of the annual pilgrimage season, which begins in November. The government has raised concerns over the TDB’s handling of procurement and other preparations.
The minister pointed to issues including the reported shortage of Aravana prasadam and earlier concerns surrounding ghee procurement. The TDB has attributed the current Aravana shortage to maintenance work at its manufacturing plant, while the minister has questioned why the work could not be carried out without affecting supplies.
“What else should be inferred given the series of lapses, from the irregularities related to ghee purchase to the aravana shortage?” Muraleedharan said.
The TDB’s own website shows that it has been issuing tenders for supplies ahead of the 2026-27 pilgrimage season, including ghee pouches, beaten rice and other materials.
Sabarimala preparations already see additional IAS post
The government has also taken administrative steps ahead of the pilgrimage season. In September, Kerala created an ex-cadre post of Additional District Magistrate, Sabarimala, in the Senior Time Scale of the IAS as part of preparations for the Mandalam-Makaravilakku season.
The Sabarimala pilgrimage involves extensive coordination among the Devaswom Board, district administration, police, health, transport and other departments. The Kerala High Court has also previously monitored aspects of Sabarimala administration, including crowd management during the pilgrimage season.
Government says move is not politically driven
Muraleedharan denied that the proposal was linked to the political affiliation of the existing TDB members, who were appointed during the previous LDF government.
“It is not true. Politics does not matter. We do not have an issue with any other devaswom board. This is purely based on the TDB’s performance and its inability to rise to expected standards,” he said.
The proposed arrangement is not yet final. It will depend on the legal opinion, consultations with the Chief Minister and any approval required from the Kerala High Court.
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