The Tiruvitamcoor Dewaswom Board (TDB) recently faced backlash after announcing a Rs 10 charge for sandal paste and vermilion tilak for devotees visiting Sabarimala. The fee, meant to cover the cost of providing bindi and tilak services at four designated points during the Erumeli Petta Thullal festival, sparked immediate protests from Hindu organizations who criticized the move as an affront to religious customs.
Sandal paste and vermilion tilak are integral to Hindu cultural and religious practices, particularly during the Erumeli Petta Thullal, a traditional dance celebrated as part of the Sabarimala pilgrimage. In previous years, devotees voluntarily offered donations for the service, which was provided at the temple’s pandal and near the Anakkotil (elephant enclosure) without any set charge.
Under the new arrangement, the Dewaswom Board had contracted the provision of bindi and tilak facilities to private agencies, authorizing them to collect Rs 10 per devotee at four locations. The contract was reportedly worth Rs 3 lakh for one of the stations and Rs 7 lakh for the other three, leading to strong reactions from organizations such as the Ayyappa Seva Samajam, which argued that monetizing a traditional religious practice was inappropriate.
Several Hindu organizations launched protests and campaigns against what they labeled an “anti-Hindu” move by the Dewaswom Board, expressing concerns that the commercialized approach would infringe on the sanctity of the pilgrimage. In response to the strong opposition, the Dewaswom Board ultimately decided to rescind the decision, reinstating the traditional practice of voluntary contributions instead of a mandatory fee.
