Sabarimala Halal Jaggery Row: Kerala High Court Calls For Explanation From Food Safety Department

The Kerala High Court on Monday directed the Commissioner of Food Safety to file an explanation about the ongoing controversy of stale halal jaggery being used at Sabarimala to prepare prasadam and nivedyam.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Anil K Narendran and Justice PG Ajithkumar sought a response from the Food Safety Department in a plea seeking a direction to the respondents to ensure that only high-quality Satwik (pure) raw materials are used in the preparation of Nivedyam/Prasadam at Sabarimala Temple.

During the proceedings today, the petitioner filed a reply affidavit. The matter will be taken up again on Wednesday by which time the report is to be made available. 

The plea sought to confiscate alleged spoiled Halal jaggery to prevent it from being sold /distributed for human consumption, and to conduct an enquiry into the violation of tender conditions by purchasing Halal Jaggery for offering to Lord Ayyappa.

"The use of Halal certified food materials, which is specifically prepared as per the religious beliefs of another community, is not a Satwik/pure material to be offered to Lord Ayyappa, a Naishtika Brahmachari meditating in Yoga asana," reads the petition. 

The Travancore Devaswom Board had earlier filed its statement arguing that the raw materials used for preparing prasada underwent strict quality checks twice before being distributed to the public.

The respondents accused the plea of being a purposeful and malicious attempt to stall the sale of Appam and Aravana at Sabarimala, to cause huge financial losses to the Board and to torpedo the pilgrimage.

The statement also brought to the notice of the court certain fake news being published on social media in a manner that creates controversies touching the religious feelings of the devotees of Sabarimala.

Case Title: SJR Kumar v. Travancore Devaswom Board