Kerala HC seeks report on ‘halal-certified’ jaggery at Sabarimala temple

S J R Kumar, general convener of the pro-BJP Sabarimala Action Committee, claimed that the temple administration was using 'spoiled' Halal-certified jaggery powder at Sabarimala.

2 min readThiruvananthapuramNov 17, 2021 10:38 PM IST

The Sabarimala temple in Kerala. (File photo)

The Kerala High Court Wednesday sought a report from the Sabarimala temple’s managing body after a petition alleged that “halal-certified” jaggery was being used in the preparation of its prasada.

The Division Bench of Justices Anil K Narendran and P G Ajithumar directed the Travancore Devaswom Board secretary, its commissioner and the special commissioner at Sabarimala to submit a report on the quality of the temple’s jaggery.

S J R Kumar, general convener of the pro-BJP Sabarimala Action Committee, claimed that the temple administration was using “spoiled” Halal-certified jaggery powder at Sabarimala.

“It is highly disheartening to see that the food materials prepared following the rituals and religious practices of another religion with its certification is accepted as food material for the preparation of Naivedyam/Prasada in a Hindu temple having its own rituals and customs,’’ said the petition.

The petitioner, a former president of state unit of VHP, even claimed that “Muslim religious scholars have been proclaiming publicly that saliva is a necessary ingredient for certifying halal in the preparation of food materials”.

Travancore Devaswom Board chief and senior CPI(M) leader K Ananthagopan dismissed the allegations. “In 2018, a Maharashtra-based company supplied jaggery for Sabarimala. The firm was engaged in exporting jaggery and these export bags mentioned halal certification. As those bags were found to be of inferior quality, we hadn’t used that supply at the temple. The allegation is baseless and we will take legal action,’’ he said.

The court asked the temple officials to submit a report on the issue.

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Meanwhile, the annual pilgrimage at the temple began on Tuesday.

Shaju Philip

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More

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