Kerala High Court orders caution over ingredients for Sabarimala offerings
The Kerala High Court has directed the Travancore Devaswom Board to ensure ingredients bought for Sabarimala’s Nivedyam and Prasadam meet quality requirements and religious customs. The ruling followed a petition about jaggery marked with halal certification, although testing found the product satisfactory and free of unsuitable substances.
The Kerala High Court has directed the Travancore Devaswom Board to exercise caution when procuring ingredients for Nivedyam and Prasadam at the Sabarimala Temple. A Division Bench of Justices V. Raja Vijayaraghavan and K.V.
Jayakumar said tender documents should include conditions ensuring that supplied materials meet prescribed quality standards and conform to the religious customs followed at the temple. The court was considering a petition filed in 2021 by a devotee who objected to the procurement of jaggery powder bearing halal certification. The petitioner argued that its use in temple offerings conflicted with Hindu customs and also alleged that some of the jaggery was spoiled and could pose health risks.
The Travancore Devaswom Board said the product had been stored for a long period because the COVID-19 situation had reduced the quantity of Prasadam required in 2019-2020. Testing in April and September 2021 found the remaining jaggery unusable, after which it was auctioned to clear the storage facility. The Board said the auction notice clearly identified the stock as unsuitable for preparing Vazhipaadu.
It also said the jaggery had been supplied in food-grade plastic packaging and that only some packets carried halal markings. The supplier had obtained the certification for exports to Gulf countries, according to the Board. The Food Safety Officer told the court that the halal declaration did not violate the Food Safety and Standards Act.
The court accepted the relevant laboratory reports and found that the testing had not detected any substance making the jaggery unsuitable for Prasadam. However, the Bench said the Board should have ensured that supplied jaggery did not carry symbols, markings or declarations that could create an apprehension of conflict with the temple’s religious customs. The court therefore directed the Board to exercise greater care in future procurements and to incorporate the necessary safeguards into e-tender documents.
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