Aravana shortage at Sabarimala triggers outrage among devotees, puts UDF government on defensive
A shortage of Aravana payasam at the Sabarimala temple has led to public protests and political friction between the ruling UDF government and the LDF opposition. The Travancore Devaswom Board cited production facility upgrades as the cause for the supply restriction.
Why it matters
Religious offerings are deeply significant to pilgrims, and supply chain failures at major shrines can quickly escalate into significant political liabilities for regional governments.
The shortage of canned Aravana payasam, a sacrament many Sabarimala pilgrims seek, has sparked widespread protests among devotees and put the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government on the defensive.
A significant section of pilgrims, who trek to the ancient hill shrine, do not reckon their religious passage spiritually fulfilling and complete without bringing home the packaged offering to the presiding deity and distributing the tins to friends and family.
However, umbrage broke out on social and conventional media after the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) restricted the counter sale of Aravana to one tin per devotee, possibly to prevent hoarders and black-marketeers from exploiting the scarcity.
The TDB said renovation work and upgrade of the Aravana production facility at Sannidhanam had caused the controversy. TDB president K Jayakumar was not immediately available for comment.
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