The Travancore Devasom Board (TDB) has stopped the distribution of ‘aravana’ (sweet) at the Sabarimala Temple. The decision to stop the distribution of aravana was implemented after Kerala High Court found that cardamom used in the sweet contains pesticide residue more than the prescribed norm.
TDB president K Ananthagopan confirmed that following the Kerala HC order, the temple authorities were asked to immediately stop the distribution of ‘aravana’.
The Travancore Devasom Board president said that the production unit has been asked to prepare aravana without cardamom and the distribution of the sweet will resume from January 12, 2023.
“Every mix of aravana which is around 300 kg, has cardamom consisting of a mere 750 grams and it is in this after scientific analysis from the state and the central laboratories, the presence of pesticide residue was more than 0.01 per cent, which is the accepted norm. Since the High Court has asked to stop distribution, we have stopped it. We have asked to clean the assembly line.
“Since the pesticide residue has been identified to be from cardamom, we have asked the production unit to see to resume production without using cardamom and that will be what will be distributed from tomorrow,” Ananthagopan said.
Sabarimala Sri Ayyappa Temple is dedicated to Lord Ayyappa. It is the most famous and prominent among all the temples in Kerala.
Sabarimala Temple is witnessing a huge rush of pilgrims during the two-month-long festival season this year.
