Pathanamthitta (Kerala) | The TDB will take a final decision on serving traditional sadya as part of annadanam (free food) at the lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala after a meeting scheduled for December 5, its president K Jayakumar said on Monday.

Currently, pulav is served to pilgrims as the noon meal.

The Travancore Devaswom Board had earlier planned to begin serving sadya, comprising traditional delicacies and payasam (sweet pudding), replacing pulav from December 2, he said in a statement.

However, a contract had already been issued to serve pulav throughout the season.

A committee led by the Devaswom Commissioner has been appointed to study the legal issues involved in replacing pulav with sadya, as well as the additional arrangements required for serving it, and to submit a report, the statement said.

The board will take a final decision on serving sadya after receiving the committee's report.

Sabarimala Executive Officer O G Biju said the start of sadya has only been temporarily postponed and that a decision will be taken as soon as the report is received.

Sadya is a Malayalam term for an elaborate traditional vegetarian banquet from Kerala.

Meanwhile, the TDB said eight contract workers have been deployed to retrieve discarded clothes from the River Pampa to help keep the river free from pollution.

Following High Court directions, police and home guard personnel have been stationed at Pampa to create awareness against discarding clothes in the area, the statement added.