Daijiworld Media Network - Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 14: The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) on Saturday rejected media reports on alleged audit irregularities in the Global Ayyappa Sangamam, terming them “factually incorrect and baseless.”
The Sangamam was held on September 20, 2025, at Pamba as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of the Board, which manages several temples including the Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa Temple.
In a statement, the TDB said neither the Devaswom audit report nor the report submitted by the Special Commissioner before the Kerala High Court mentioned any expenditure for purchasing a cot for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who attended the event.
The Board clarified that Rs 3,83,439 was allocated under the head ‘Furniture and Miscellaneous Items’ for the existing office complex and guest house as per an estimate submitted on November 4, 2025. It termed as a “misinterpretation” media reports claiming that Rs one lakh was spent on buying a cot for the Chief Minister. Any item purchased for the Devaswom Guest House remains its property, the statement said.
The TDB also said renovation works at the Pamba Guest House, which accommodates Union Ministers and higher court judges, were wrongly portrayed as special arrangements for the CM.
Regarding the musical event, the Board stated that “Nandagovindam Bhajans” had initially been approached but declined due to prior commitments. Subsequently, musician Ishaan Dev led a performance involving over 25 artistes and 10 technicians. The reference to “Nandagovindam Bhajans” in the audit report was described as an inadvertent error based on information from the event management agency, with payment actually credited to Ishaan Dev.
The Board said the Indian Institute of Infrastructure and Construction was appointed as the event management agency. A total of Rs five crore, allocated under the 2025-26 budget head ‘Religious Convention & Discourse,’ was deposited in a special savings account at Dhanlaxmi Bank to avoid disruption due to delays in sponsorship funds. Of this, Rs three crore was given to IIIC as advance.
Additionally, Rs 12,76,440 was paid to hotels for accommodation and Rs 15,25,424 towards GST. The TDB said Rs three crore in sponsorship has been received so far — Rs two crore (excluding GST) from Dhanlaxmi Bank and Rs one crore (including GST) from Kerala Bank. It added that the Adani Group had offered Rs one crore.
The Board denied reports claiming that funds drawn from the Devaswom account were not redeposited and also rejected allegations of inflated food expenses. It said food was served not only to invitees but also to Ayyappa devotees, daily wage workers and dolly workers at Pamba, with more than double the estimated number of people being fed.
The clarification comes two days after the Kerala High Court observed “serious inconsistencies” in the audit report and sought explanations from the TDB and the Kerala State Audit Department.
Meanwhile, former TDB president P S Prasanth said the controversies were due to negligence by certain officials. In a Facebook post, he alleged that exaggerated and fabricated stories were being circulated and asserted that the Sangamam was not wasteful but a significant initiative to take the glory of Sabarimala to a global audience.
The Board said discrepancies, if any, would be rectified after detailed verification and that the matter would be discussed in its meeting scheduled on February 17.