Devaswom board dissuades free food distribution to Ayyappa’s to help Restaurants

Sabarimala: Pilgrims thronging to pay obeisance to Lord Ayyappa in Sabarimala have sought construction of platforms that will cater to the serving of food, from the Devaswom Board. Currently, the service groups that are engaged in distribution of free food for pilgrims are being dissuaded and discouraged demeaningly by authorities.

Along with this, the current trend of bifurcation of groups engaged in free food distribution has also become controversial. Those who have been engaged in voluntary services in Sannidhanam and Pamba are now under the mercy of temple authorities. As of now, Ayyappa Seva Samajam, Ayyappa seva Sangham, Sreebhoothanatham Trust, Devaswom Board etc are the groups engaged in free food distribution. Out of these, Ayyappa Seva Samajam is the only group that has been engaged in the task without a break, all 24 hours.

 In spite of all these facilities, today a large section of the pilgrims are being forced to rely on hotel food. This is because food supply does not reach out to all pilgrims. And this scenario withstanding, the Devaswon Board has put fetters on other groups, thereby creating hurdles. 

 

Pilgrims feel that the move by Devaswom Board is solely to cater to the near-by hotel owners, who are now making use of signboards to announce their decision of imparting food, ofcourse with a price tag….  

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