The prolonged ban on entry for devotees to places of worship in the State following the Covid-induced lockdown has deepened the financial crisis in the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) that owns 1,250 temples in the State.
Talking to The Hindu, TDB president N. Vasu said the board was able to disburse the salary and pension to its 5,000-odd employees and nearly 4,000 pensioners till this month. However, if the situation continued, the board would be forced to take some harsh decisions in the coming months.
Mr. Vasu said the TDB had to spend nearly ₹40 crore towards the employees’ salary and pension alone every month apart from the expenditure for performing daily rituals at its temples.
He said the TDB had already apprised the State government of its situation and had sought a financial relief of ₹160 crore ahead of the annual Sabarimala festival season.
The offerings made by the devotees were the main revenue for the TDB and it had dropped sharply with the ban on entry into temples, he said.
Mr. Vasu said the TDB decision to open temples for devotees a month ago was taken in consultation with the Tantri Samajom, the Tantri Mandalom, and the tantris (chief priests) of various temples in the State.
But those who were clamouring for opening temples themselves turned harsh critics of the board for its decision to open temples in June and the board had revoked its decision, he said.
Sabarimala season
Mr. Vasu said a TDB meeting, held at its headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday to discuss the preparations for the ensuing annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrim season that begins in mid-November, had decided to invite tenders for supplying jaggery, rice and other articles for prasadom preparation.
The total requirement of jaggery alone for the annual pilgrim season has been put at 40 lakh kg. The tender would be finalised on July 22, he said.
The devaswom works department required ₹15 crore for making various arrangements for the annual pilgrim season.
