Travancore Devaswom Board president K. Jayakumar met Devaswom Minister K. Muraleedharan on Friday, 25 September 2026, to discuss preparations for the upcoming Sabarimala pilgrimage season. The meeting followed the minister’s recent comments about a shortage of aravana payasam and delays in the board’s tendering process for raw materials.
Jayakumar explained that the aravana shortage had been caused by an unexpected rise in the number of devotees and that the board was working to increase production capacity before the pilgrimage begins on 16 November. He also briefed the minister on other measures, including crowd‑management improvements at Nilakkal and a plan to complete all preparatory work by 31 October.
After the briefing, Muraleedharan said the government and the TDB would cooperate closely to ensure devotees faced no difficulties during the season. He noted that the board had taken the initiative to report weekly on works carried out at Sabarimala, easing concerns about potential friction between the board and the government.
The minister added that the chief minister had spoken with Jayakumar and that, with joint effort, the pilgrimage would proceed smoothly. He emphasized that any apprehensions would be addressed promptly, and that the board’s commitment to transparency and increased aravana supply would prevent the problems that had arisen in previous years.
Overall, the meeting aimed to reassure devotees and stakeholders that the TDB and the state government were aligned in their preparation efforts for the Mandala‑Makaravilakku season. The board’s pledge to enhance daily aravana production and improve crowd control measures reflects its intent to meet the growing demand and maintain a safe, efficient pilgrimage experience.
