Sabarimala: The pilgrim rush at the Lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala has crossed dangerous levels, Travancore Devaswom Board president K Jayakumar said on Tuesday. Many devotees were reportedly breaking queues and rushing towards the sanctum for darshan, he said while addressing the media. “Such a massive crowd should never have been allowed to build up. The situation will become unmanageable unless 80–90 devotees climb the 18 steps every minute. Central forces are expected to arrive today, and coordination with them will begin immediately,” he added. 

There are also reports that several devotees returned without getting darshan, leaving only after performing the ghee offering at Pampa. Only a maximum of 90,000 pilgrims are usually allowed per day, 70,000 through the virtual queue system and 20,000 through spot bookings. 

Key points

• Queues: The crowd on the second day of the season was completely unexpected and dangerously heavy, with many devotees jumping queues. People were reportedly rushing forward to avoid long waiting time. The charge officer has been instructed to regulate the climb to the 18 steps slowly and in order. Such a large crowd should not have been permitted.
• Long wait: Devotees reaching Pampa should not be made to wait for long. A letter has been sent to ADGP S Sreejith regarding this.
• Queue complex: Queue complexes are not being utilised effectively, with police reporting that devotees are not entering them. Providing more facilities, beyond biscuits, is expected to encourage devotees to stay inside. Devotees should be seated within the complexes and adequate announcements must be made. Allowing pilgrims to proceed when their turn arrives will help prevent exhaustion-related collapses.
• Long wait at Nilakkal: Holding devotees for longer periods at Nilakkal is considered acceptable. Seven additional spot-booking booths will be set up at Nilakkal today, and spot booking to Pampa will be reduced.
• Staff mess: The staff mess is not yet ready. Until it is completed on the 21st, staff will be served meals at the annadanam hall.
• Drinking water: A shortage of drinking water has been reported. Two hundred additional workers have been deployed for water distribution. Water must be taken into the crowd, and anyone standing for four hours must be provided water.
• Maintenance: Two hundred personnel from Tamil Nadu will be brought in to clean the toilets.
• Booking: Online booking was filled on the very first day. Spot booking cannot be avoided, as crowd control is not possible without booking. Restrictions are being examined.
• Pampa: Following a Special Branch report that Pampa is dirty, cleaning operations have commenced.

Over 1.36 lakh devotees have completed darshan at the Lord Ayyappa Temple since the hill shrine opened on Sunday evening for the mandalamakaravilakku pilgrimage season till Monday. The auspicious first day of the Malayalam month of Vrischikam marks the beginning of the annual pilgrimage. Nearly 55,000 pilgrims arrived for darshan on the opening day alone, ADGP S Sreejith said on Monday.