Lord Ayyappa Darshan first, food next

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Follow us:WhatsappFacebookTwitterTelegram.cls-1{fill:#4d4d4d;}.cls-2{fill:#fff;}Google NewsFor a pilgrim to the hill shrine of Kaliyugavaradan Lord Ayyappa, a proper Darshan of the Lord comes first. Food is secondary. The argument presented in an affidavit in the Kerala High Court by the Travancore Devaswom Board that any change in the norms of the food being supplied by the TDB at the Sannidhanam would affect the flow of pilgrims does not seem to hold water. It is absurd to argue that food is the pilgrim-puller at Sabarimala. In one of the wisest suggestions, the Kerala High Court had said that the TDB should consider the supply of only gruel and the minimum necessary side dishes at the Sannidhanam to end ‘’commercialisation and excessive consumerism’’ even on the issue of supplying food. Besides rice gruel, the court had allowed supply of alternatives such as wheat or wheat rava gruel and some loose form of Pongal to suit the needs of the pilgrims from other states, though gruel is not an anathema to the pilgrims of states. The court’s suggestion would bring about a highly healthy sea-change with significant reduction in the possible vegetable waste and left-over accumulation in and around the Sannidhanam and the consequent environmental pollution. Crores of pilgrims are thronging the Sannidhanam for having a glimpse of their venerated deity Lord Ayyappa at the Sabarimala temple sanctum sanctorum and the free food at the Sannidhanam is not the attraction. The free food supply by the TDB is a recent phenomenon. Even in the initial launching stage the TDB used to limit the free food supply to just 2,000 pilgrims whereas the number of pilgrims thronging the temple on any day during the pilgrimage season will be several times of this number. The free supply grew to a massive level only a couple of years ago. Pilgrims in crores had been offering worship at Sabarimala for the last several decades. The groups of pilgrims which trek the route for several days together carry with themselves the minimum essential items necessary for making their food along with the Irumudi Kettu. For breakfast, they carry ripe banana, ripe plantain, rice flakes (aval) and sugar. Those who are very keen on having tea or coffee may carry tea powder and coffee powder also. For lunch and dinner, the pilgrims used to take with them the minimum quantity of rice (either full rice or broken rice), salt, home-made items such as Chammanthypody and one or two varieties of pickles. One aluminium vessel (kalam) for preparing gruel, a few glasses and fuel wood also will be part of the bag and baggage of each group of pilgrims. Aluminium vessels and utensils were the preferred items because of the light weight. These items were more than adequate for a pilgrim to keep his body and soul together during the pilgrimage. The pilgrimage itself begins after several days of Vrutham which also puts restrictions on the nature of food. In fact, controlled fasting and not feasting is what the Vrutham demands. A pilgrim normally eats cooked rice only once in a day during the Vrutham period. The items for breakfast and dinner used to be nonrice items. Some pilgrims used to organise gruel supply (kanji veezhth) at their homes on the day they begin the trekking. This shows the pride of place occupied by gruel during the days of penance in connection with the pilgrimage. Srimad Bhagavatham and other scriptures also insist on light, Saatvik and restricted consumption of food for spiritual uplift. Ekadashi Vrutha Mahatmyam throws light on the importance of fasting. Let the pilgrims who want to prepare their own food bring all the items, including provisions, with them. It is the commercialisation of the pilgrimage that has ignited the largescale business of vegetables and provision items on the pilgrimage route and at the Sannidhanam. This has led to several problems, including exploitation and waste accumulation. The barring of the sale of provision items and vegetables at Sabarimala Sannidhanam will go a long way in eliminating the waste accumulation at Sannidhanam. The laudable suggestion of the Kerala High Court deserves to be enforced in toto. (The views expressed in the article are the author’s own)first published:August 28, 2012, 09:25 ISTlast updated:August 28, 2012, 09:25 IST
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For a pilgrim to the hill shrine of Kaliyugavaradan Lord Ayyappa, a proper Darshan of the Lord comes first. Food is secondary.

The argument presented in an affidavit in the Kerala High Court by the Travancore Devaswom Board that any change in the norms of the food being supplied by the TDB at the Sannidhanam would affect the flow of pilgrims does not seem to hold water.

It is absurd to argue that food is the pilgrim-puller at Sabarimala.

In one of the wisest suggestions, the Kerala High Court had said that the TDB should consider the supply of only gruel and the minimum necessary side dishes at the Sannidhanam to end ‘’commercialisation and excessive consumerism’’ even on the issue of supplying food.

Besides rice gruel, the court had allowed supply of alternatives such as wheat or wheat rava gruel and some loose form of Pongal to suit the needs of the pilgrims from other states, though gruel is not an anathema to the pilgrims of states.

The court’s suggestion would bring about a highly healthy sea-change with significant reduction in the possible vegetable waste and left-over accumulation in and around the Sannidhanam and the consequent environmental pollution.

Crores of pilgrims are thronging the Sannidhanam for having a glimpse of their venerated deity Lord Ayyappa at the Sabarimala temple sanctum sanctorum and the free food at the Sannidhanam is not the attraction.

The free food supply by the TDB is a recent phenomenon.

Even in the initial launching stage the TDB used to limit the free food supply to just 2,000 pilgrims whereas the number of pilgrims thronging the temple on any day during the pilgrimage season will be several times of this number.

The free supply grew to a massive level only a couple of years ago.

Pilgrims in crores had been offering worship at Sabarimala for the last several decades.

The groups of pilgrims which trek the route for several days together carry with themselves the minimum essential items necessary for making their food along with the Irumudi Kettu.

For breakfast, they carry ripe banana, ripe plantain, rice flakes (aval) and sugar.

Those who are very keen on having tea or coffee may carry tea powder and coffee powder also.

For lunch and dinner, the pilgrims used to take with them the minimum quantity of rice (either full rice or broken rice), salt, home-made items such as Chammanthypody and one or two varieties of pickles.

One aluminium vessel (kalam) for preparing gruel, a few glasses and fuel wood also will be part of the bag and baggage of each group of pilgrims.

Aluminium vessels and utensils were the preferred items because of the light weight.

These items were more than adequate for a pilgrim to keep his body and soul together during the pilgrimage.

The pilgrimage itself begins after several days of Vrutham which also puts restrictions on the nature of food.

In fact, controlled fasting and not feasting is what the Vrutham demands.

A pilgrim normally eats cooked rice only once in a day during the Vrutham period.

The items for breakfast and dinner used to be nonrice items.

Some pilgrims used to organise gruel supply (kanji veezhth) at their homes on the day they begin the trekking.

This shows the pride of place occupied by gruel during the days of penance in connection with the pilgrimage.

Srimad Bhagavatham and other scriptures also insist on light, Saatvik and restricted consumption of food for spiritual uplift.

Ekadashi Vrutha Mahatmyam throws light on the importance of fasting.

Let the pilgrims who want to prepare their own food bring all the items, including provisions, with them.

It is the commercialisation of the pilgrimage that has ignited the largescale business of vegetables and provision items on the pilgrimage route and at the Sannidhanam.

This has led to several problems, including exploitation and waste accumulation.

The barring of the sale of provision items and vegetables at Sabarimala Sannidhanam will go a long way in eliminating the waste accumulation at Sannidhanam.

The laudable suggestion of the Kerala High Court deserves to be enforced in toto.

(The views expressed in the article are the author’s own)