Ahead of Sabarimala pilgrimage season, TDB to ramp up Aravana production

The Travancore Devaswom Board announced that it is accelerating production of Aravana, the temple’s most popular offering, as the Sabarimala pilgrimage season approaches. Work is under way at the mechanised plant in Sannidhanam to add six new preparation pans, two cooling chambers and an additional boiler, with the goal of meeting the expected surge in demand.

The expansion will lift the plant’s daily capacity from the current 2‑2.25 lakh containers to roughly 3.25 lakh containers, an increase of about 85,000 to one lakh tins per day. TDB officials expect the construction to finish by October, after which buffer‑stock production will commence in the second half of the month, targeting more than 45 lakh tins ahead of the November pilgrimage. In the previous season, Aravana sales generated over ₹180 crore for the board, and the board has also secured a contract with Milma for 1.65 lakh litres of ghee at ₹50 per litre to supplement the supply.

Aravana sales have historically been a critical revenue source for the TDB, but past pilgrim seasons saw shortages that forced a limit of ten tins per devotee. The board’s decision to procure ghee from external sources follows concerns over the quality and declining quantity of ghee offered by devotees, as well as allegations of irregularities in its distribution. By expanding production capacity and ensuring a reliable ghee supply, the TDB aims to avoid repeat shortages and support the large influx of pilgrims expected during the Mandalam‑Makaravilakku period.