The Sabarimala temple, one of India's most revered pilgrimage sites dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, continues to face a barrage of financial scandals that have severely undermined devotees' trust and sparked intense political debate. In the most recent blow, the Kerala High Court ordered a vigilance probe into the alleged misappropriation of funds from the sale of Adiya Sishtam Ghee (also known as Adya Sishtam or Aadiya Sishtam ghee), a sacred leftover offering sold to pilgrims. This follows closely on the heels of the high-profile gold theft case that has already implicated senior officials and shaken the temple's administration.

Court records and reports indicate the irregularities primarily occurred between November 17, 2025, and December 26, 2025, during the peak Mandalam-Makaravilakku season. Out of thousands of packets sold (with figures varying slightly across reports, around 89,000 total in some accounts), proceeds from approximately 13,679 to 16,628 packets — equating to roughly Rs 13.67 lakh — were not remitted to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) accounts. A further shortage of about 22,565 packets in stock between late December 2025 and early January 2026 added an estimated Rs 22.65 lakh in losses, bringing the total suspected embezzlement to around Rs 35 lakh in under two months.

The Kerala High Court, in its strongly worded order, described the episode as a grave criminal breach involving falsification of records and misappropriation under laws including the Prevention of Corruption Act. Justices highlighted deep-rooted and systemic failures in supervision, stock control, verification, and handover processes between counter staff, noting that such brazen siphoning in such a short period suggests potential larger-scale fraud across other revenue streams. The court directed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to form a special team, register a case, and submit progress reports.

This "ghee scam" adds to a pattern of controversies at Sabarimala. The court referenced prior issues, such as the Rs 40 lakh misappropriation flagged at the TDB-run Swamy Ayyappa Fuels petrol pump at Nilakkal. Meanwhile, the ongoing gold theft probe has intensified: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) recovered a sacred artifact from the residence of former Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru and, in a major development in mid-January 2026, arrested former TDB member K.P. Sankar Das (the 11th or 12th accused) from a hospital following sharp High Court criticism for delays.

The recurring scandals have intensified the long-standing debate on state government control over Hindu temples in India. Supporters of the system, rooted in Article 25 of the Constitution, argue that the state can regulate secular, economic, and financial aspects of religious institutions to ensure transparency, prevent misuse of wealth, promote social reforms, abolish hereditary priesthood rights, and make temples inclusive.

Critics, however, contend that government oversight — often through politically appointed boards like the TDB — has failed to deliver better governance and may even enable corruption due to bureaucracy, favoritism, and lack of accountability. They argue that temple wealth, built from devotees' donations, should serve Hindu welfare and pilgrim facilities rather than being diverted.

TDB President K. Jayakumar, who assumed office in mid-November 2025, defended the board, stating that internal vigilance first detected the ghee irregularities, leading to the immediate suspension of an involved employee. He emphasized that ghee sales revenue had surged significantly (from around Rs 50 lakh the previous year to Rs 2 crore this season), urged distinguishing minor misappropriation from the more serious gold theft, and called for time to implement reforms, while acknowledging systemic issues needed cleansing.

BJP leaders slammed the LDF for treating the temple as a "cash cow" and lacking devotion, citing examples like a minister's apparent lack of reverence during rituals. They argued that government control enables corruption and demanded handing temples over to devotees for better management. Leftist parties and CPM allies countered by accusing the BJP of politicizing religion and pointing to alleged links (e.g., the Tantri's family ties to a BJP leader). They argued the state oversees administration (not religious practices) and that high court intervention proves the system works.

A pro BJP Author and journalist criticized anti-Hindu bias in management, arguing that those without faith in Hindu dharma should not control temples, and urged devolving administration to devotees to prevent exploitation. Another political analyst emphasized that devotees endure hardships out of faith, yet the government views the temple as a "business." He pointed to recurring scams under the current regime and questioned where the wealth goes, given substandard arrangements during pilgrimages.