Kerala HC Stops Distribution Of 'Aravana Payasam' At Sabarimala Temple After Pesticides Found In Cardamom

The Court also directed the TDB to make aravana with quality cardamoms or without cardamom.

Kerala High Court (File Photo)

Chennai: Amid a pesticide scare in cardamoms, Kerala High Court on Wednesday ordered Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) to stop the distribution of aravana payasam in Sabarimala. Following this, TDB said that they would stop the aravana distribution.

Aravana payasam is a prasad provided to Lord Ayyappa Temple devotees in Sabarimala. The aravana is a black kheer made with rice, ghee, jaggery and cardamom. 

An issue ensued after food safety authorities found 14 types of pesticides in the cardamom used for making aravana.

According to ANI, the High Court said that the food safety officer in Sabarimala should ensure that aravana with pesticide-laced cardamom should not be distributed. 

It also said that the aravana should be sent once again for examination. The Court also directed the TDB to make aravana with quality cardamoms or without cardamom.

The division bench of justices Anil K Narendran and P G Ajith Kumar later adjourned the case for two weeks.

The bench heard the case after noticing that the samples were not meeting the quality standards proposed by Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins, and Residues) Regulations, 2011.

TDB president K Ananthagopan told Hindustan Times that they will ensure that the payasam is made with high-quality of cardamom. 

"We will clean all the machines used for making payasam and make it without cardamoms," he said as per the report. 

From Thursday, TDB has decided to make the payasam without cardamom, he said. 

Earlier, cardamom was supplied by Kerala Forest Development Corporation to make aravana. 

The aravana payasam contributes 60% of the revenue of the temple. The shrine also produces over one lakh cans during the season time to meet the demand. 

Meanwhile, the most important day of the annual pilgrimage season "Makara Vilakku" is set to fall on January 14.