TDB Distances Itself from Ghee Row, Cites Pre-Planned Procurement Halt
Travancore Devaswom Board president K Jayakumar on Friday categorically denied any board involvement in the alleged supply of inferior ghee to the Sabarimala temple during the 2025 pilgrimage season. Speaking to reporters, he said the board had already decided, before the controversy emerged, not to procure any ghee from outside suppliers for this year's pilgrimage. The decision was based on the availability of sufficient quantities of ghee brought by devotees, he added.
The denial follows a directive from Devaswom Minister K Muraleedharan ordering a departmental inquiry into the procurement and transportation of ghee supplied by state-run dairy Milma. Jayakumar insisted that neither he nor the board had received any complaint about the quality of Milma's ghee until the issue surfaced in the media. He maintained that all consignments from the previous season were cleared only after sample testing by the Food Safety Department's laboratory at the hill shrine.
Responding to allegations that Milma's own internal probe found original ghee was diverted and replaced with inferior product, Jayakumar distanced the board from the contractor engaged by Milma. "If there was any lapse in the supply chain, that is a matter being investigated by the government and other agencies," he said. He confirmed the entire ghee from last season has already been used for making Aravana prasadam and for temple lamps.
Jayakumar expressed confidence that no external procurement will be needed this season, stating that the ghee brought by devotees will be sufficient for all requirements. "There is enough ghee brought by devotees. In fact, that is what should always be used," he said, adding that the board would examine if any internal lapses had occurred and take appropriate decisions after discussions.
Beyond the Denial: Testing Gaps and the New Captive Supply Model
The Limits of Sample Testing
Jayakumar’s defence rests heavily on the fact that all ghee consignments passed laboratory tests. However, as he himself acknowledged, only sample testing is feasible; the entire quantity cannot be tested. This leaves open the possibility that a portion of the supply could have been adulterated without detection, especially if the alleged lapses occurred during transportation after samples were drawn. The controversy highlights the inherent vulnerability of any batch-based quality assurance system that relies on statistical sampling rather than 100% inspection.
A Shift to Captive Supply as a Risk Hedge
The board’s decision to halt all outside procurement and rely solely on ghee offered by devotees represents a fundamental shift in its supply chain strategy. By removing external intermediaries, the board eliminates the most visible point of supply chain risk—contractor misconduct. However, the change introduces a different risk: the quality and consistency of ghee brought by individual pilgrims is inherently unmeasured and unstandardised. The board has not yet detailed what, if any, quality checks will apply to devotee contributions on a mass scale, raising questions about whether the move truly strengthens food safety or simply relocates the risk.
Reputational Spill and Governance Questions
For Milma, a state-run dairy, the allegations carry reputational weight regardless of the inquiry's outcome. The suggestion that a trusted public-sector brand could be linked to food fraud in a high-profile religious setting may erode consumer confidence beyond the temple’s borders. For the TDB, the episode tests its internal oversight mechanisms: the board’s assertion that it "came to know of these allegations only now" sits uneasily with its role as the ultimate custodian of the offerings. The board has promised to examine internal irregularities, but without a clear timeline or scope for that review, stakeholders—including millions of devotees—are left waiting for accountability.
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