Sabarimala: The traditional Kerala Sadhya has commenced at the Sabarimala Sannidhanam as part of the Annadanam programme for Ayyappa devotees. The meal will be served on alternate days during the ongoing Mandala season, according to the Travancore Devaswom Board.
Kerala Sadhya was served to devotees under the leadership of the Devaswom Board at the Annadanam Mandapam on Sunday afternoon. The Sadhya will now be served once every two days. The meal is provided in steel bowls and follows the traditional Kerala style.
The initial delay in starting the Sadhya was attributed to the lack of technical facilities required for large-scale preparation. While the Devaswom Board had originally planned a more elaborate Sadhya with a wider variety of dishes, the menu has currently been streamlined to include nine items.
The Sadhya menu includes rice, parboiled rice, lentils, sambar, rasam, aviyal, thoran, pickles, pappadam, and payasam. Certain dishes such as aviyal and thoran will be replaced with other curries on alternate days. The menu will also feature either moru, rasam, or pulissery, along with a different variety of stew each day.
The Devaswom Board has decided to provide meals to around 5,000 devotees daily. On average, one tonne of rice, vegetables, and approximately 500 kilograms of other food items are required each day for the Annadanam. Vegetables, rice, and other provisions are supplied by private contractors, while the preparation and distribution are handled by staff appointed by the Devaswom Board. Coconut, ghee, and jaggery are provided directly by the Board.
There is seating capacity to serve around 800 devotees at a time at the Annadanam Mandapam. Earlier, pulao was served in the afternoons; however, with the introduction of the Kerala Sadhya, this has been revised to once every two days. Currently, porridge is served in the mornings.
Devaswom Board President K. Jayakumar stated that devotees visiting Sabarimala during the Mandala season will be provided Kerala-style Sadhya as part of the Annadanam. On Sunday at noon, Devaswom Executive Officer O. G. Biju lit the ceremonial lamp and offered food to Lord Ayyappa. Sannidhanam Special Officer P. Balakrishnan Nair was also present at the Annadanam Mandapam.