Thiruvananthapuram | The Travancore Devaswom Board on Monday said the primary goal of the upcoming Global Ayyappa Sangamam is to involve devotees worldwide in the development of Sabarimala. The Board is the apex body responsible for organising the event.
“The Sabarimala masterplan, recognised by the government, will be presented to the participants at the conclave,” TDB President P S Prasanth told reporters here.
Though the Congress-led UDF has yet to decide whether to participate, Prasanth said Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan is among the three patrons of the Samgamam.
Registration for the event has already begun through the Sabarimala virtual queue portal.
“Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will be the chief patron of the event, and the Assembly Speaker, Leader of Opposition, and Devaswom Minister will be the other patrons,” he said.
The steering committee will include representatives from both the TDB and the Devaswom Board, with budgeting procedures ongoing. The chief minister will inaugurate the event, with an expected total budget of around Rs 4 crore. The programme will be fully organised through sponsorship, Prasanth added.
“The objective is to take the glory of Sabarimala across the globe and propagate the essence of the ‘tatvamasi' philosophy. The opinions of Ayyappa devotees worldwide will be collected in connection with the development of Sabarimala,” he said.
Prasanth added, “The Sabarimala masterplan will be presented before them. Their opinions, directions, and partnerships will be ensured in this regard. These are the fundamental objectives of the Ayyappa Samgamam.” He also expressed satisfaction at the support extended by organisations such as the Nair Service Society (NSS) and Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam.
The proposed event, organised by the TDB as part of its 75th anniversary in association with the Kerala government, will be held on September 20 at Pampa. The initiative has sparked reactions among political parties and community organisations in recent days.
