A statement quoting the TDB president emphasised that Virtual-Q bookings are mandatory for Ayyappa devotees arriving for darshan.
Huge crowd at Sabarimala. (Supplied)
Even as the Sree Dharma Sastha Temple in Sabarimala prepares for the auspicious Makaravilakku festival, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), the apex temple body managing the shrine, decided on Tuesday, 2 January, to regulate spot bookings for darshan due to the anticipated heavy rush on the occasion.
There will be no spot bookings for pilgrims from 10 January, and the Virtual-Q bookings are limited to 40,000 on 15 January, the day of Makaravilakku, TDB officials said.
TDB President PS Prashanth said that these regulations aim at ensuring a smooth and safe darshan experience for devotees while avoiding a heavy rush at the Sannidhanam, the temple complex.
He said that the decision to halt spot bookings from 10 January was made in light of the steadily increasing number of pilgrims visiting the hill shrine.
Prashanth also advised that it would be preferable for women and child pilgrims to avoid visiting the Lord Ayyappa Temple on 14 and 15 January, considering the anticipated crowd.
On the New Year day too, the temple saw a huge influx of devotees.
A statement, quoting the TDB president, emphasised that the Virtual-Q booking tickets are mandatory for Ayyappa devotees arriving for darshan at the hill temple during these days.
Various rituals, including prasada shudha kriya and bimba shudha kriya, will be held on 13 and 14 January ahead of the Makaravilakku festival on 15 January.
Devotees will witness the reception of the thiruvabharanam (sacred ornaments) at the Sannidhanam (temple complex) and the deeparadhana, adorning the Lord Ayyappa idol with jewels, on Makaravilakku day.
After the Makaravilakku darshan, the hill shrine will remain open until 20 January for pilgrims to offer prayers, TDB sources said.
Sabarimala saw a huge rush during the first phase of the pilgrimage till the Mandala puja on 27 December.
On 27 December, two devotees from a group of eight from Tamil Nadu drowned in the Pamba river near the Chengannur Mahadeva Temple.
The Leader of Opposition, VD Satheesan, too, pointed out the need for better facilities for the devotees.
On 30 December, he wrote a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, urging him to ensure flawless arrangements for devotees during the upcoming Makaravilakku season.
Highlighting the alleged failures of various departments during the Mandala season, he said that the state government and the Devaswom Board have miserably failed to provide smooth darshan and basic infrastructure for the pilgrims.
The Kerala High Court, too, took cognisance of the issue and ordered the TDB to ensure proper facilities for the devotees.
On 25 December, a Bench of Justices Anil K Narendran and G Girish held a special sitting taking note of news reports claiming that devotees, including children, were stuck on the roads to Sabarimala for over 12 hours without food or water.
The Bench directed the TDB to ensure water, snacks and other facilities at the Edathavalams, which are short-term resting places for pilgrims.
The court also said that when the Virtual-Q booking reaches 80,000, the number of spot registrations should be limited and the footfall at Sannidhanam and Pamba reach their holding capacity, the Chief Police Coordinator has to restrict or even prohibit the entry of pilgrims without any advance registration or booking.
Despite the Kerala government claiming the situation has been under control, devotees of Lord Ayyappa faced several hardships, forcing the high court to intervene.
Reports said pilgrims to the hill shrine were made to wait in queues for hours — often even half a day — before they could proceed to the 18 gold-covered holy steps to the temple.
An unprecedented rush of devotees during the annual festival season this year has left both authorities on the ground and the pilgrims frustrated. The arrangements made in advance went for a toss as several pilgrims arrived without booking slots on the Virtual-Q, an online system initiated to ensure a smooth pilgrimage.
Authorities tried the Tirupati-model crowd management, but failed as several pilgrims jumped the queue, and took forest routes to Sannidhanam.
Prasanth earlier told South First that the temple was now open for almost 17 hours daily. He said extending the operational hours further would be impractical as the priests and employees should have adequate rest.
TDB on 17 December, put into place a special gate system for children to have a smooth pilgrimage.
A TDB statement said that the new system was implemented on the morning of 17 December, and will allow the children to the front of the sanctum sanctorum for a closer darshan of Lord Ayyappa.
(With PTI inputs)
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