The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has informed the High Court (HC) that 'Global Ayyappa Sangamam' is being conducted to showcase Sabarimala as a global pilgrimage centre and to propagate the universal message of Thathwamasi, promoting religious harmony and global unity. The TDB presented its statements in response to a petition filed in the HC against the conduct of the event.

TDB counsel said that no amount or money will be used for the event from either the public exchequer or from the resources of the TDB and that it is proposed to be funded entirely through sponsorships.

The HC observed that the sponsorships ought to be from verifiable and credible sources alone. The state government has stated that the event is being organised exclusively by the TDB and that the only role of the Government is to offer support for crowd management. The Government pleader said that the crowd expected for the event would be large and that it will be the responsibility of the police and other law enforcement agencies to manage it effectively without incident.

The court said that neither the petitioner nor the TDB has been able to tell the court what the nature of the proposed event is. "What we have been told are peripheral things, which do not really explain the event fully," the HC bench comprising Devan Ramachandran and VM Syamkumar said.

The petition was filed by Ajeesh Kalathil Gopi, saying that the event was a political one and hence can never be allowed in the name of Lord Ayyappa. The court admitted the petition and scheduled the case for hearing on September 9.