Kochi: Unlike on the previous occasions, this year there won’t be any shortage of aravana payasam, the most sought-after prasadam at the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple, with the Travancore Devaswom Board enhancing production capacity of the mechanised plant by one-third.
“We’re setting up new filling machines and steam vessels to increase daily production of aravana cans (250 ml) from 1.5 lakh to two lakh. For this we’re demolishing the existing administrative office, toilet block and remodelling the area to facilitate the setting up of new machinery. The tenders for the works, estimated to cost Rs 5.61 lakh, have been floated,” said executive officer V.S. Jayakumar.
The board has also initiated a fool-proof quality-control mechanism to procure superior quality materials, especially jaggery, for making aravana, he said. Every season, the board implements restrictions on prasadam following heavy demand.
Also this season, pilgrims could wait for their turn to offer prayers without being affected by the hot sun or rainfall from Marakootam itself.
The setting up of five new queue complexes between Marakootam and Saramkuthi will be completed by August. Each queue complex is being constructed at Rs 1.80 crore each and can accommodate 5000 pilgrims.
