Pilgrims waiting for darshan at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: Leju Kamal
In an effort to manage the influx of devotees at Sabarimala during the Mandala Puja, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has reduced the daily cap on virtual queue and spot bookings.
Under the latest arrangement, 50,000 pilgrims will be allowed entry via the virtual queue on December 25, coinciding with the Tanka Angi procession’s arrival at the Sabarimala. An additional 10,000 slots will be opened the next day for the Mandala Puja, taking the total slots to 60,000. Spot booking entries, meanwhile, will be capped at 5,000 on both days.
Official sources said similar restrictions were being planned for the days leading up to the Makaravilakku ceremony on January 14. A final announcement regarding these arrangements will be made later.
The hill shrine has seen a significant surge in pilgrim arrivals over the past few days. Estimates show that 96,853 devotees reached the Sannidhanam on Friday, with over 22,000 entering through spot bookings. The temple witnessed heavy footfall on Saturday too, with 31,507 pilgrims visiting by 8 a.m., including 7,718 through spot entries.
Till December 20, a total of 27.04 lakh devotees visited the Sabarimala, compared to 22.54 lakh during the same period last year.
Emergency medical centre
In view of the growing numbers, authorities have decided to establish an additional emergency medical centre on the Chandranandan Road between Marakuttam and the Sannidhanam. The TDB has been tasked with identifying a suitable location for the centre to cater to the increasing number of pilgrims.
The Duty Magistrate has been directed to oversee the operation of 300 stretcher units in the pilgrimage zone, while the Sannidhanam Station House Officer has been instructed to secure buildings and prevent unsafe trespassing.
Further, restrictions will be enforced at the Nadapanthal stage to address overcrowding. This measure follows complaints that many announcements made at the Sannidhanam are inaudible due to the crowd and noise levels.
Published – December 21, 2024 08:23 pm IST