sabarimala-temple-extends-darshan-hours-amid-huge-crowds

The Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala witnessed a surge in devotees during its five-day monthly pujas.

Long queues formed as thousands of pilgrims awaited their turn to perform darshan.

In response to the massive turnout, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) extended the darshan hours by three hours.

This allowed devotees to continue their prayers until 3 pm, instead of the usual 1 pm. The temple also reopened at 4 pm, one hour earlier than planned.

The TDB issued an appeal for cooperation from devotees regarding crowd management during significant rituals, such as the Udayasthamana puja and the Padi puja.

These rituals, performed exclusively during the monthly pujas, restrict movement for two hours.

Devotees will not be allowed to pass through the Sopanam or access the eighteen holy steps during this time. The board kindly asked all devotees for their understanding.

A TDB official remarked that they were unprepared for such a heavy rush, noting it had been a long time since the temple experienced this level of attendance during the monthly pujas.

Criticism arose from the opposition, particularly from VD Satheesan, the Leader of the Opposition. He stated that pilgrims had to wait up to seven hours for darshan due to insufficient arrangements made by the government. Satheesan highlighted the lack of basic facilities, such as drinking water, and the need for more police personnel to manage the crowd effectively. He urged the Left government to prevent communal tensions from arising during the upcoming pilgrimage season.

The official estimates indicated a significant increase in footfall during this month’s pujas. On Saturday alone, over 52,000 devotees had booked for darshan, with around 30,000 completing it by 3 pm. Since the temple opened for the monthly pujas, a total of 122,000 devotees have visited.

On the first day, October 16,11,965 devotees booked for darshan. This was followed by 28,959 on October 17 and 53,955 on October 18.

As the temple prepares to close after the monthly pujas on October 21, authorities remain vigilant to ensure the safety and satisfaction of all devotees.