The Kerala High Court on Thursday cleared the Travancore Devaswom Board’s request to increase the price of aravana prasadam sold at key resting spots along the Sabarimala pilgrimage route. The rate, which has remained unchanged since 2021, will now go up from ₹65 to ₹85 for 250 grams.
A bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar said it would be “just and proper” to revise the price at Achankovil, Aryankavu, Kulathupuzha, Erumely, Pandalam Valiyakoikkal and Nilakkal, all of which fall under the Board’s administration.
The TDB had approached the court seeking revision of rates, citing a steep increase in the cost of raw materials used to make aravana, a traditional sweet offering made of rice and jaggery. It told the court that without revising the price, the Board would be forced to absorb significant losses, especially in view of the rising material costs and expenses relating to aravana preparation machinery.
The state government, while acknowledging the cost escalation, argued that providing prasadam at a temple could not be equated to a profit-oriented business. It said a careful balance was needed between the financial capacity of devotees and the Board’s potential loss if rates remained unchanged.
To aid the court’s consideration, the Department of Economics and Statistics submitted a comparative report showing the sharp rise in prices of raw materials between early 2021 and 2025. The Ombudsman, after evaluating the material, recommended a revised rate of ₹80. However, the TDB maintained that even the suggested rate would lead to heavy losses.
After examining the submissions, the bench concluded that raising the price to ₹85 was reasonable in the circumstances. The revised rate will now apply at all the specified resting points under the Travancore Devaswom Board.
