Thiruvonam feast at Sabarimala in limbo as contractors face unviable directive from TDB
The Travancore Devaswom Board's plan for a direct Onam feast at Sabarimala is hindered by poor coordination and insufficient budget, with mess operators finding the ₹72 per person daily rate financially unviable for a traditional sadya.
The Travancore Devaswom Board's plan for a direct Onam feast at Sabarimala is hindered by poor coordination and insufficient budget, with mess operators finding the ₹72 per person daily rate financially unviable for a traditional sadya.
The Travancore Devaswom Board's plan for a direct Onam feast at Sabarimala is hindered by poor coordination and insufficient budget, with mess operators finding the ₹72 per person daily rate financially unviable for a traditional sadya.
The Travancore Devaswom Board's (TDB) ambitious plan to directly host the traditional Thiruvona Sadya (Onam feast) for pilgrims at Sabarimala is facing a severe hurdle due to a lack of coordination and inadequate budgeting. Mess operators at the hilltop shrine (Sannidhanam) say they have received no formal directives on how to execute the massive feast under the current pricing structure.
The current mess contract dictates a rate of just ₹72 per person for three meals a day. While an additional ₹50 is typically provided on feast days, the contractors point out that serving a traditional Sadya on a banana leaf within this budget is financially impossible. A single banana leaf itself costs over ₹8, making the logistics of the entire operation unviable.
Lack of formal communication and planning
According to the contractor, the TDB only gave a casual verbal instruction to prepare 'a little extra food' for Thiruvonam. However, the Board soon issued an official press release grandly announcing that it would serve Sadya directly to all devotees. Surprised by this, the contractor sent a written note to the Board, highlighting that no official guidelines had been issued and no logistical preparations—such as transporting additional vegetables and raw materials to the Sannidhanam—were in place.
Pending dues and systemic issues
To add to the contractors' woes, outstanding payments from the Makaravilakku feast held earlier this year remain unpaid by the Board. This has further drained the operators' resources, making them highly hesitant to take on additional financial risks for the Onam feast.
Historically, the Thiruvona Sadya was organised and sponsored by different groups on rotation, including the Melshanthi (chief priest), local police, and Devaswom officials. This year, the TDB decided to take full charge of the feast to eliminate external sponsorships and unauthorised public fundraising. However, without proper planning and financial backing, this transition has run into serious logistical roadblocks.