The decision to end spot bookings at Sabarimala has triggered a major controversy, with opposition parties and various Hindu organisations criticising the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s new measures.
Congress Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithala accused the government of using the Sabarimala issue to distract from the political crises facing the state and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)].
He argued that the move to abolish spot bookings would inconvenience devotees, suggesting that 10,000-15,000 of the daily 80,000 visitor quota should be reserved for spot bookings.
Bharatiya Janata Party state president K Surendran supported the need for spot bookings, recommending that at least 10 per cent of the daily quota be set aside for devotees unable to book online.
He attributed the challenges at Sabarimala to police mismanagement and emphasised that a system like Tirupati, which is open year-round, would not work at Sabarimala due to its unique pilgrimage pattern.
Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan confirmed the government’s decision to eliminate spot bookings for the upcoming season. He assured that alternative measures, such as enhanced online bookings and expanded parking facilities at Nilackal and Erumely, were being put in place for better crowd management.
TDB — state-run board in Kerala, India that manages the administration of temples in the state — officials defended the online booking system, emphasising its importance in keeping records of pilgrims throughout the season, ensuring safety, and maintaining proper crowd control.
Travancore Devaswom Board President PS Prasanth defended the government’s decision to implement online booking for darshan at Sabarimala Temple. He believes that through online booking, there will be a proper record of the devotees arriving at the temple.
Prasanth argued that if an online booking system is effective at the Tirupati Temple, why shouldn’t the same be implemented at Sabarimala?
"As far as the Travancore Devaswom is concerned, we want to ensure that there are adequate facilities for the devotees visiting Sabarimala. All necessary arrangements will be made. No devotee who arrives at Sabarimala will have to leave without seeing the deity. The current decision is that a virtual queue will be mandatory, and other matters can be addressed later," he stated.
C Babu, state organising secretary of Hindu Aikya Vedi, criticised the decision as being against the interests of Ayyappa devotees. He alleged that the TDB was commercialising the temple without planning for the increasing number of visitors and their needs.
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