LPG crunch tests Sabarimala as temple opens for monthly poojas

Amid an unprecedented LPG shortage, the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple has opened for the five-day monthly poojas, with authorities scrambling to ensure that the shortage does not disrupt essential services for the thousands of pilgrims arriving each day.

According to officials with the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), adequate quantities of LPG cylinders have been stocked for the immediate period even as steps are being taken to regulate usage and rely more on steam-based cooking systems.

“Based on directions from the Pathanamthitta District Collector, a load of LPG cylinders was delivered at Pampa by Saturday afternoon itself,” said a TDB official.

The officials also explained that much of the cooking undertaken by the TDB at Sabarimala, including the preparation of offerings and free meal distributed to devotees, is being carried out using steamers. “The use of LPG by the devaswom board is limited. However, it remains the primary source of cooking fuel for the numerous eateries operating within the pilgrimage zone,” the official said.

The TDB had earlier approached the district administration seeking urgent intervention to address the shortage during the days when the temple remains open. Following this, the District Collector directed the District Supply Officer to examine the issue and submit a report to the Supply Commissioner. Accordingly, a load of LPG cylinders was rushed to Pampa to stabilise supplies.

The temple, which opened for the monthly poojas on Saturday evening, has allowed entry of 30,000 pilgrims on the first day and 50,000 on the remaining days through the virtual queue and spot booking systems. Apart from feeding devotees through the annadanam programme, the TDB also has to prepare meals for nearly 3,000 staff members stationed at Sannidhanam.

Yet the uncertainty refuses to fade. Officials acknowledge that the present stock will last only for the immediate period if the disruption in LPG supply continues. Devotee organisations warn that the situation could quickly spiral into a serious challenge if supplies are not restored soon.

Devotee influx

“The situation may be manageable for now. But it could turn difficult when the temple reopens on March 22 for the ten-day annual festival. Tens of thousands of devotees are expected then, and the authorities will have to act on a war footing to ensure that the shortage does not affect services,” said an office-bearer of the Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sangham.

The strain is already visible along the pilgrimage route. Several wayside eateries that usually bustle with activity during the monthly pooja days have remained shut due to the lack of cooking gas, leaving pilgrims with fewer options for food.

During the Sabarimala pilgrimage, pilgrims depend heavily on eateries at Laha, Erumeli, Kanamala, and Naranamthode. These establishments typically open only when the temple is accessible to devotees. Though some of them reopened for the current season, LPG cylinders failed to reach the outlets as usual, preventing many hotels from resuming full operations.

Meanwhile, a few establishments have already switched to firewood for cooking. Even so, most outlets have been forced to restrict their menus to the bare essentials while staples like dosa and porotta have disappeared from their counters.