THRISSUR: Devaswom Board has withdrawn the quotation that those who prepare food for the 'prasada oottu' (temple feast) at the Guruvayur temple should be Brahmins following the intervention of Minister K Radhakrishnan. The notice states that the cooks and helpers during this year's festival, which runs from February 14 to 23, must be Brahmins. K Radhakrishnan said that the incident has come to notice and the Devaswom Commissioner was directed to withdraw it immediately.

Devaswom said all tender procedures related to 'prasada oottu' have been canceled. The Devaswom quotation is called every year to prepare the food required for the prasada oottu and distribution related to the festival. Quotations are invited for routine cooking, chopping of vegetables, delivery of from the pantry to the kitchen, and delivery of the cooked and leftovers to the pantry. The notice states that the employees should produce their Aadhaar card along with the list and those who got the quotation should pay a security deposit of Rs 1 lakh. The main condition is that the cooks and their helpers should be Brahmins.

The terms of the notice, which was released on the 17th of this month, have drawn widespread criticism, including on social media. The main ridicule was that such a notice was released in the CPM-ruled renaissance Kerala. Devaswom officials said it is a tradition that has been followed for ages. The Devaswom Minister had directed to withdraw the controversial condition in the quotation notice and issue a new one.