Lord Coconut Prasad vs Flight Fight: A Call to Action for Hindus
The Time to Wake Up is Now:
Every time I cross an airport security gate, I observe security personnel removing coconut prasad from passengers and discarding it in the dustbin. As a Hindu, this worries and sometimes angers me. I have even written an email to the Bureau of Civil Aviation, but received no response.
This issue came to the forefront when a devotee of Lord Siddhivinayaka contacted the Vistaranainfo call center. Vistaranainfo specializes in solving problems through communication and personal service. The devotee had received a coconut prasad gift from the Lord Siddhi Vinayaka Temple in Mumbai. He preserved the prasad carefully and reached the airport to travel from Mumbai Domestic Terminal 1 to Visakhapatnam via Indigo Airlines. The airline staff objected to allowing God’s prasad in the check-in baggage or hand baggage. The devotee was worried and contacted us.
We assured him that there should be no issue if the prasad was placed in the check-in baggage because, as far as we know, passengers carry more dangerous liquids. I suggested that if any objections arose, he could hand it over to the airline or security for safe delivery to his address. We reassured him that there was no issue and advised asking the airline to send it by courier on a “to-pay” basis. The airline staff agreed to hold the prasad and offered to hand it over to any person who could come and take it out. As expected, the Indigo Airlines staff objected to the wet coconut prasad being in the check-in baggage.
Before the devotee entered the security gate, he handed over the coconut prasad to Indigo airline staff and provided contact information for collection. Our Vistaranainfo staff approached the airport to retrieve it, but to no avail. The concerned staff member left her duty and instructed via WhatsApp to collect it from the security gate. There was no response from the Indigo staff phone number or airport security.
They suggested collecting the coconut after 4 PM on 25th December 2024. We contacted Indigo, CISF, Adani Security, and the Terminal Manager, but all efforts failed to locate the prasad. The person who took the coconut was also concerned about CISF personnel. Yesterday, I spoke to all involved and stressed the importance of the prasad. Finally, on 26th December 2024, around 11 AM, we received the prasad. I appreciate the devotee’s dedication and respect towards the coconut prasad. We admire such individuals.
Personally, I do not accept unethical practices by CISF security. At airport security, they take children’s toys, powders, scent bottles, etc. Why do they arrange shops inside the airport after security checks? Even though liquor is not allowed on board in major airports like Mumbai and Bengaluru, they have several bars inside the airport. What about the safety of female airline staff and other passengers on board? Some people buy liquor and carry it to their destinations.
There is no common checking procedure in India. At one airport, they instruct you to remove your belt; at another, they ask you to remove your slippers and place them in a tray. I have observed that at Bengaluru Kempegowda Airport, they have a board instructing women to remove their gold ornaments and place them in a tray. Common security checking procedures are required at Indian airports. Due to communication gaps, CISF creates its own practices. This situation needs reconsideration by all airline passengers.
This incident made me ponder how such actions insult the sacred prasad of the Lord and the sentiments of devotees, especially Ayyappa bhaktas carrying irumudi. Although the Civil Aviation Minister permitted carrying coconuts in irumudi, there seems to be no clarity about pilgrims bringing coconut prasad. I am deeply unhappy with this incident and expressed my concerns to all involved. This is India; nobody cares. Dry coconuts are not allowed on flights, and if questioned, there is no issue. Wet coconuts are not a fire hazard; if someone tried to ignite them, it would take a whole day to catch fire, as they produce milk, not oil.
Now, as per the suggestion of the Mumbai Domestic Adani airport terminal assistant, I checked the rules about the coconut ban on airlines on Google. I understood we do not have proper acts or guidelines, only Google.
What a flawed communication system and set of regulations. This issue creates a negative impact on Hindu devotees. Why can’t we fight against such discriminatory practices by security or airlines? We are attaching photos of prohibited items on board flights. In this list, coconuts are not mentioned. But they are still being collected from passengers. Is there any procedure for destroying passenger-recovered items, or does anyone take them away? This is also doubtful.
Oh my God, Lord Ganesha, save this country from ignorance.
Journo K.V.R. Prasad has reported this news in accordance with the Freedom of Speech Act under the Constitution of India.
