konnivartha.com: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that Sabarimala is a place of worship that proclaims transcendental spirituality and is accessible to all people, and that it needs to be strengthened as such.
The Chief Minister was speaking after inaugurating the Global Ayyappa Sangam organized at Pampa Manappuram with the aim of comprehensive development of Sabarimala.
The transcendental spirituality of Sabarimala is unique. It is important to bring it to the world. In this way, devotees from all over the world should be attracted. The physical conditions of Sabarimala should be improved in a way that is conducive to that.
The aim of the Ayyappa Sangam is to present Sabarimala to the world as a prominent center on the pilgrimage map, following the Madurai-Tirupati model.
The government or the Devaswom Board should not unilaterally imagine and implement what the pilgrims want. They should understand from the devotees themselves and do what is needed. It is with this conviction that the Travancore Devaswom Board is organizing such a gathering in conjunction with its Platinum Jubilee. Such an event was arrived at after years of deliberation and discussions.
With the increase in the number of pilgrims visiting Sabarimala every year, there is a need for easy transportation, parking, availability of clean water, sanitation facilities, rest centers, and medical facilities. These should be done without damaging the beauty of nature or harming the environment. Nearby areas including Erumeli should also be developed as part of this.
The development prospects are being considered up to 2050. The master plan aims at comprehensive development of Sabarimala, Pampa, traditional path and Nilakkal. The total cost of the layout plan is estimated at Rs 778.17 crore, including Rs 600.47 crore for the first phase from 2022-2027, Rs 100.02 crore for the second phase from 2028-2033 and Rs 77.68 crore for the third phase from 2034-2039.
Pampa has been envisaged as a transit camp in the layout plan. A method has been adopted to ensure that pilgrims follow a specific circulation route to and from the Sannidhanam, thereby avoiding any possible congestion in the future. A total of Rs 207.48 crore has been included for the development of Pampa, including Rs 184.75 crore for the first phase from 2022-2027 and Rs 22.73 crore for the second phase from 2028-2033, and a total of Rs 47.97 crore has been included for the development of the trek route, including Rs 32.88 crore for the first phase from 2022-2025 and Rs 15.09 crore for the second phase from 2024-2026. The total cost of the development of Sannidhanam, Pampa and the trek route as per the layout plans is Rs 1,033.62 crore.
Construction of a safety bridge across the Pampa River from Pampa Ganapathi Temple to Pampa Hilltop, development of the core area at Nilakkal Interchange. Installation of a drinking water pipeline from Kunnar to Sabarimala Sannidhanam, construction of roads and associated bridges at Nilakkal Interchange, construction of a pilgrim facility centre, tantri matham and prasada production and distribution complex at Sabarimala Sannidhanam, installation of fire extinguishing systems at Sabarimala Sannidhanam, and preparation of a detailed project document for the pilgrim exit bridge at Sabarimala Sannidhanam and protection and maintenance of water sources at Nilakkal Interchange are also being taken.
Those who want the development of Sabarimala to be held in an open discussion on such matters should not object. One can only imagine what is going on inside those who oppose it. The Chief Minister said that we are ensuring the development of Sabarimala by listening to everyone’s opinions, including them, and bringing them all together, and it is on the basis of this vision that the Ayyappa Sangam is being held.
There is an argument from some quarters that the government should step down and hand over the temple administration to the devotees. Boards and other administrative mechanisms came into existence when the temple was in a state of ruin with no one to look after it. That is when many temples that were in ruins were brought to light. The temple employees were assured of regular salaries.
In the wake of the 2019 Covid pandemic, when even the daily operations of the Devaswom Board were in trouble, the government provided financial assistance of Rs 140 crore to the board. Rs 123 crore was also made available for renovation work. Many people pretend not to see such truths. Believers should ask themselves whether those who say that temples should be handed over to the believers want the temples to return to the miserable state of the past without government assistance. Some people are still spreading false propaganda that the government is taking the income of the Devaswom Board. Not only does the government not take a single penny, but the government is also giving money to the Devaswom Board. That is why many temples with relatively meager incomes are still thriving. The temple employees there are not starving.
Since 2011-2012, when the Sabarimala Master Plan work began, the government has spent about Rs 148.5 crore on various development projects. From 2016-17 to 2025, the government has allocated a total of about Rs 650 crore for the modernization and development of Devaswom institutions. The amount allocated to Devaswom Boards and affiliated institutions is Rs 145 crore for Travancore Devaswom Board, Rs 26 crore for Cochin Devaswom Board, Rs 305 crore for Malabar Devaswom Board, Rs 4 crore for Koodalmanikyam Devaswom, Rs 21 crore for Devaswom Recruitment Board, Rs 3.5 crore for Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple, and Rs 28 crore for the Hindu Dharma Institutions Administration Department.
In the last four and a half years, Rs 232 crore has been allocated for Devaswom boards and related institutions. It is being accused of taking money without seeing the government giving it to them.
The government is planning to hold a minority meeting in a similar way. The government is considering how Kerala should develop and move forward in 2031, the platinum jubilee year of the formation of a united Kerala. In this regard, 33 seminars are being organized under the auspices of various departments in the month of October to evaluate Kerala’s development activities so far and organize future activities based on that. These seminars will be conducted under the leadership of the minister in charge of each department. Out of the 33 seminars, only one is being organized under the auspices of the minority department. However, the Chief Minister said that it is an attempt by a group to mislead the people by misrepresenting that fact and spreading propaganda against the facts.
Devaswom, Cooperation and Ports Minister V N Vasavan presided over the function. Tamil Nadu Hindu Charitable Endowment Minister P K Sekhar Babu and IT Minister Palanivel Thyagarajan attended as special invitees.
Ministers P. Prasad, Roshi Augustine, K Krishnankutty, A K Saseendran, Veena George, Saji Cherian, Government Chief Whip Dr. N Jayaraj, MLAs K U Janeesh Kumar, Pramod Narayan, Kadakampally Surendran, K.T. Jaleel, Devaswom Board President P S Prashanth, District Panchayat President George Abraham, Revenue – Devaswom Secretary M G Rajamanikyam, District Collector S Prem Krishnan, Pathanamthitta Municipality Chairman T. Zakir Hussain, Ranni Perunad Panchayat President P S Mohanan, Sabarimala Thantri Kantharar Mahesh Mohanar, Travancore Devaswom Board members Adv. A Ajikumar, P D Santhosh Kumar, former Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar, SNDP Yogam General Secretary Vellappally Natesan, Nair Service Society Vice President M. Sangeeth Kumar, Kerala Pulayar Mahasabha General Secretary Punnala Sreekumar, Kerala Brahmin Sabha representative Karimpuzha Raman, industrialist Gokulam Gopalan, and musicians Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri and K. Omanakutty spoke.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Minister for Devaswom, Cooperation and Ports, VN Vasavan and the Devaswom Board President also presented a gift from the Travancore Devaswom Board.
The goal is to make Sabarimala a global pilgrimage center: Minister V.N. Vasavan
The aim is to make Sabarimala a global pilgrimage centre, said Cooperative Ports and Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan. He was speaking while presiding over the Global Ayyappa Sangam held at Pampa Manappuram. The minister said, “We will move forward with the future development of Sabarimala by incorporating the high-level suggestions from the Sangam.”
The minister said that it was a matter of great pride that the last pilgrimage season was conducted flawlessly.
Minister V.N. Vasavan began his presidential address by reading out messages from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, conveying their best wishes for the Global Ayyappa Sangam.
All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha state office bearers participated in the global Ayyappa Sangam
The All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha state office bearers participated in the global Ayyappa Sangam. Honorary State President Dr. T.P. Kunjumon, Working Committee Member E. A. Rajan, Veerashaiva Educational Trust Secretary M.S. Madhu, Assistant Secretary S. Girish Kumar, Basaveshwara National Charitable Trust Chairman C.P. Madhusudhanan Pillai, Secretary Adv. Gopakumar, Mahasabha Pathanamthitta District President K. Rajendran, and District Secretary T.G. Sujith Kumar were present.
Sabari Rail: State government will bear half the cost; propaganda to the contrary is untrue
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the state government will bear half the cost of the Sabari Rail Link and that the propaganda to the contrary is contrary to the facts. Although the central government should bear the entire cost, the state government is ready to bear half the cost as the Sabari Rail Link is an important project, the Chief Minister said while inaugurating the Global Ayyappa Sangam at Pampa Manappuram.
The state government is making interventions based on understanding the importance of the railway. In the most recent discussion with the Railway Ministry, it was announced that the government will bear 50 percent of the cost. Despite these facts, completely wrong things are being spread. Baseless news is being spread as a blatant lie.It is expected that all the permissions for the Sabarimala airport will be available by December this year. It is hoped that the land acquisition will be completed by next year and the airport construction work will begin. The Chief Minister said that significant progress has also been made in the Sabarimala ropeway.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister greets
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s letter conveying his best wishes for the Global Ayyappa Sangam. In the letter written to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, informing that he could not attend due to pre-scheduled programs, he conveyed all the best wishes for the event and also made it clear that ministers P.K. Shekhar Babu and Dr. Palanivel Thyagarajan will be deputed.
Full text of the letter
Dear Pinarayi Vijayan,
Greetings
I thank you for inviting me to the ‘Global Ayyappa Sangam’ event to be held on September 20, 2025, in conjunction with the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of the Travancore Devaswom Board.
I am unable to attend this function due to some pre-arranged commitments. However, I depute the Hon’ble Minister of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments of Tamil Nadu, Thiru. P.K. Sekhar Babu and Hon’ble Minister of Information Technology and Digital Services, Dr. Palanivel Thyagarajan to attend the function.
I wish you all the best for the event to be a great success.
Sincerely,
(M.K. Stalin)
UP Chief Minister with greetings
Letter from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to Minister for Ports, Cooperation and Devaswom V.N. Vasavan, congratulating him on the ‘Global Ayyappa Sangam’ event.
The UP Chief Minister noted that it is necessary to spread ancient Indian knowledge and traditions to strengthen harmony, inclusion and unity, and in this context, the ‘Global Ayyappa Sangam’ event holds great significance.
Full text of the letter
Dear Shri V.N. Vasavan Ji,
I would like to thank you for inviting me to participate in the ‘Global Ayyappa Sangam’ event to be held in Pampa on September 20, 2025, in conjunction with the Platinum Jubilee of the Travancore Devaswom Board.
Lord Ayyappa is the divine protector of Dharma. Worshipping him illuminates the path of a virtuous life and inspires devotees to promote and protect sattvic values. It is essential to propagate ancient Indian knowledge and traditions to strengthen harmony, inclusion and unity. In this perspective, the Global Ayyappa Sangam assumes great significance. I hope that this conference will be successful in achieving its objectives.
Sincerely,
(Yogi Adityanath)
