Pamba gears up for Ayyappa Sangamam; Opposition raises missing gold, cost concerns

Pathanamthitta (Kerala), Sep 19 (PTI) The banks of the Pamba river, at the foothills of Sabarimala, are ready to welcome thousands of devotees and delegates for the Global Ayyappa Sangamam, which opens on Saturday.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the event at 10 am, with Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan presiding.

Ministers from neighbouring states, elected representatives, cultural leaders, and members of social organisations are expected to attend.

Organisers said vast temporary structures have been built without disturbing the river’s fragile ecosystem. German-style hangar tents have been erected at three sites, including a 43,000-square-foot main venue at Manappuram (river sandbed).

The stage alone covers 2,400 square feet and rises four feet above the ground. Seating has been arranged for approximately 3,000 delegates, with media and green rooms conveniently located nearby.

At Hilltop, two more pandals will host panel discussions and dining facilities, while the Travancore Devaswom Board has set up an exhibition to mark its platinum jubilee. All structures will be dismantled once the summit ends, organisers said.

They added that three parallel sessions will anchor the discussions. The first will examine the long-term Sabarimala master plan, balancing pilgrim welfare, infrastructure, and environmental protection.

The second will focus on linking Sabarimala to wider spiritual tourism circuits across Kerala. The third will address the annual challenge of crowd management, with police officers, health experts, and technology partners expected to present new solutions.

Registration begins at 6 am on Saturday, followed by the opening session and breakout discussions. After lunch, singer Vijay Yesudas will perform for delegates. The day will close with a summary of the deliberations, a valedictory session, and an opportunity for delegates to visit the Sabarimala shrine.

Travancore Devaswom Board president P S Prasanth said delegates from 15 countries will attend the summit, alongside participants from various Indian states, with Tamil Nadu sending the largest contingent of around 1,000 devotees.

Meanwhile, the opposition Congress and BJP have continued their criticism of the Sangamam, alleging that "the government is holding the event after the theft of Ayyappa's gold." They referred to a Kerala High Court order in connection with the alleged loss of four kilos of gold in 2019, when the gold-plated Dwarapalaka idol from the Sabarimala temple was sent to Chennai for restoration and brought back.

"Without the knowledge of the High Court, some officials in the Devaswom Board and the government joined hands to loot four kilos of Lord Ayyappa's gold," Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan told reporters.

Former BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan also raised the matter, questioning the need to hold such a summit, spending Rs 7 crore, when development plans for Sabarimala have already been approved by the High Court and the Supreme Court.

The BJP has described the summit as a "political showpiece" for the CPI(M)-led LDF ahead of next year's assembly elections.

Speaking to PTI Videos, TDB president Prasanth rejected the allegations, saying the summit had been planned much earlier as part of the board's platinum jubilee celebrations. PTI TGB SSK TGB SSK ROH