Kerala's Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), S. Sreejith, has assured that the police are fully prepared for crowd management during the Mandala-Makaravilakku season, which began on Friday with the opening of the Sabarimala temple. The officer noted that the number of pilgrims who have booked for darshan this year is significantly higher compared to the previous year.
"We have made extensive preparations for this Mandala-Makaravilakku season. Around 14,000 police personnel will be deployed in five to six phases. Surprisingly, even during the first phase, which runs from November 15 to 30, all slots have already been filled," Sreejith told ANI.
"Last year, on November 16, the number of pilgrims stood at around 14,000. This year, however, the figure has surged to 70,000 for tomorrow, and this trend is expected to continue until the 30th. We anticipate a steady and robust inflow of pilgrims in the coming days. Both the devotees and the authorities are well-prepared, and I believe the pilgrimage season will proceed smoothly without any difficulties," he added.
The Sabarimala temple opened its doors to devotees on Friday afternoon, marking the start of the annual Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season. The outgoing Melsanthi (head priest), P.N. Mahesh Namboothiri, performed the ceremonial opening of the temple's sanctum sanctorum. The newly appointed Melsanthis, S. Arun Kumar Namboothiri and Vasudevan Namboothiri, officially assumed their roles at the Ayyappa temple and the Malikappuram Devi temple.
Last month, in response to opposition demands to reinstate spot bookings for the Sabarimala pilgrimage during the Mandala-Makaravilakku season, Kerala's Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan clarified the government's position. Speaking in the legislative assembly, Vasavan explained that the state government had opted for an online booking system to regulate the number of pilgrims and ensure a smoother pilgrimage experience.
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Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan raised concerns about the online booking system, urging the government to reconsider its decision. He argued that many devotees, particularly those from other states, might struggle with the online system. Limiting entry to online reservations alone could prevent thousands of devotees from fulfilling their 41-day vow and having darshan at the temple, he said. Satheesan also highlighted that, prior to 2018, all pilgrims were allowed entry to Sabarimala, and the lack of spot bookings could now result in dangerous overcrowding.
In response, Minister Vasavan explained that a virtual meeting, chaired by the Chief Minister, had addressed the issue and decided to limit the daily number of pilgrims to 80,000. He emphasized that past experiences showed that spot bookings often led to overcrowding and disrupted the pilgrimage. This year, the government will rely on the virtual queue booking system to ensure safety and enhance the overall experience for devotees. The Minister assured that adequate infrastructure and crowd management measures would be in place to manage the influx of pilgrims.