Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 19 The Kerala High Court on Wednesday pulled up the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) over the chaotic situation at Sabarimala, where thousands of pilgrims were reportedly stranded amid severe crowd mismanagement and inadequate arrangements.
The bench observed that there was a complete lack of coordination in crowd control and questioned why preparations had not begun six months in advance, despite the known surge in devotees during the Mandala-Makaravilakku season.
Incidentally, the two-month-long pilgrimage season opened on Monday amidst utter confusion and massive crowds with poor arrangements.
The High Court also remarked that merely frisking pilgrims and pushing them forward without considering capacity was a "wrong approach".
It sought clarification from the TDB on the maximum number of pilgrims the hill shrine could safely accommodate at any given time, and demanded detailed capacity figures for each sector.
Noting the geographical limitations of the temple area, the bench stressed that only a controlled number of devotees should be allowed entry, aligned with available space and safety protocols.
Amid mounting public concern, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, after a meeting of the Congress-led UDF in the state capital, strongly condemned the government and Devaswom Board, stating that hundreds of pilgrims were returning without being able to have darshan – an unprecedented situation in Sabarimala's history.
"The very same people who organised a global Ayyappa summit have now left devotees in deep distress," he said, adding that the mismanagement had stunned both devotees and observers alike.
Satheesan announced that the Congress-led UDF would send a delegation to Sabarimala to assess the situation firsthand and gather feedback from pilgrims.
He emphasised that the government had "failed" to uphold basic arrangements expected at one of the country’s most revered pilgrimage centres.
With the pilgrimage season still unfolding, both judicial scrutiny and political pressure are expected to intensify, pushing authorities to restore order and rectify lapses.
Meanwhile, the Pinarayi Vijayan government appears to be taking cover under the model code of conduct that is in force in view of the two-phase local body polls slated for December 9 and 11.
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