Sabarimala pilgrimage nears, TDB to float e-tenders after talks stall
With the Sabarimala pilgrimage just weeks away, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) is still struggling to lock in transport deals for key ingredients needed to make Aravana prasadam.
Talks with contractors over rates have stalled, so TDB is now rushing to float new e-tenders on October 30, hoping to avoid shortages as the season kicks off.
TDB Aravana stock 7L, needs 50L
Right now, TDB has only about 700,000 tins of Aravana ready, far short of the 5,000,000 needed. They're trying to ramp up production at their plant and plan to boost daily output.
On top of that, new logistics rules mean extra steps for getting supplies up to Sannidhanam.
A shortage of the offering a couple of months ago turned political, so both the state government and devotees are watching closely this time around.