The Kerala High Court has directed the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) to adopt greater caution while procuring ingredients used to prepare Nivedyam and Prasadam at the Sabarimala temple.
The direction came while the Court was considering a petition challenging the use of jaggery carrying a halal certification mark in preparations such as Aravana Payasam and Unniyappam.
A Division Bench comprising Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and KV Jayakumar observed that the Board should have taken greater care to ensure that materials supplied for temple offerings did not contain markings or declarations capable of raising questions about their compatibility with the religious customs and practices followed at Sabarimala.
The Court, however, found no quality-related defect in the jaggery in question. Laboratory examination showed that the material met the relevant quality parameters and did not contain any substance that rendered it unsuitable for use in Prasadam.
The dispute dates back to 2021, when a devotee approached the High Court objecting to the alleged use of expired and halal-certified jaggery in the preparation of temple offerings. The petition raised concerns both about the safety of the ingredients and the religious implications of using products carrying such certification.
The TDB informed the Court that Maharashtra-based Vardhan Agro Processing Limited had supplied around 20 lakh kilograms of jaggery during the 2019-20 season. Some of the packets bore the marking “Halal JUH/HRC/437/2018”.
According to the Board, the manufacturer had obtained the certification because it exported jaggery to Arab countries, where such certification was required for certain markets.
A report from the Special Commissioner, Sabarimala, also recorded that the certification had been placed on the packaging in connection with export requirements. The Food Safety Officer further reported that the declaration did not contravene the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The High Court examined the food laboratory reports and found the jaggery satisfactory on the parameters tested.
The proceedings were ultimately closed after the TDB gave an assurance that it would exercise greater caution in future procurement. The Court directed the Board to incorporate suitable safeguards into its future e-tenders so that ingredients purchased for Prasadam meet both prescribed quality standards and the religious requirements applicable at Sabarimala.
The directions were issued in the case of SJR Kumar v. The Travancore Devaswom Board & ors.