Thiruvananthapuram: The Travancore Devaswom Board has taken a decisive decision in the context of growing suspicions that oleander flower is poisonous. It has been decided to avoid oleander flowers in the prasads and offerings given to the devotees in the temples. But there is no restriction in using oleander flowers for pooja. Not used for Nivedya Samarpanam, Archana, Prasad etc. Other flowers will be used instead of oleander flowers. The decision will be effective from tomorrow itself.
Devaswom Board President PS Prashanth had initially informed that a decision would be taken after the results of the scientific test regarding the presence of toxicity in oleander flowers. But the Travancore Devaswom Board decided this after the news about this came and the public suggestion was raised not to use oleander flowers.
After the death of Surya Surendran, a resident of Haripad, the poison of oleander flowers became a big discussion. Devotees and temple staff had expressed their concern to the Devaswom Board after reports came out that the bite of oleander flower and leaf caused the death of the young woman. After this, the suspicion that oleander flower was the cause behind the death of cows and calves in Pathanamthitta has been raised, and the suspicion that oleander flower is poisonous is getting stronger.
