PATHANAMTHITTA: Six and a half lakh tins of Aravana, left over from the last Makaravilakku season at Sabarimala still occupy the Sannidhanam storeroom. This situation is causing storage issues for the upcoming Mandalakaalam. The Devaswom Board has requested permission from the Supreme Court to remove the old stock. The deadline for this is just 18 days away.

Production of Aravana was halted last January due to government and Spices Board reports revealing dangerous pesticides in the cardamom used in Aravana as mandated by the High Court. The Devaswom Board incurred a loss of 6 crores due to this. The old stock was replaced with cardamom-free Aravana. Recently, tests conducted in compliance with Supreme Court orders declared cardamom-based Aravana safe to consume. However, Aravana becomes inedible if not used within six months necessitating the disposal of the postponed stock.

This year's Aravana production is underway but to make space for the new stock, the tins from the previous pilgrimage must be discarded.

- K Anantha Gopan, President of the Devaswom Board.