SABARIMALA: The manufacturing of appam prasadam at the Lord Ayyappa temple resumed on Monday following the intervention of higher devaswom authorities.The production of appam prasadam has started after a one-day break, with the supply matching the demand with nil buffer stock. The manufacturing of prasadam has been resumed by using the cleaned and washed white rice offered by the devotees kept in the “irumudi”.
The production came to a standstill following an order issued by the Executive Magistrate on the basis of a Supreme Court order issued way back in 2015.
TDB to move High Court
The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) will file a petition in the Kerala High Court against the order on the use of rice for the production of appam prasadam. For manufacturing appam prasadam, the rice offered by the devotees kept in the “irumudi”, especially the white rice, is used till date.
Hence, the TDB will file a plea before the High Court on the ground that the rice offered by the devotees is of top quality and it’s properly cleaned and washed before using it for manufacturing appam prasadam, TDB sourcees said.
Widespread criticism
The order of the Executive Magistrate had attracted widespread criticism from voluntary organisations, including Akhila Bharata Ayyappa Seva Sangham, on Sunday.
“The order was issued when the pilgrimage season was at the peak days,” ABASS vice-president D Vijayakumar said. The order was intended at sabotaging the Sabarimla pilgrimage, he said. The order was issued without mentioning proper and clear facts on the quality of rice, Vijayakumar said.