Sabarimala Makaravilakku Festival Season To Begin On December 30
33 lakh pilgrims visited Sabarimala during Mandala season till December 26: Reports
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Makaravilakku festival season at Sabarimala temple will start on December 30, with the temple opening at 5 p.m. The Makaravilakku itself falls on January 14.
The Mandala pilgrimage season ended on Saturday, and Devaswom Minister V. N. Vasavan stated that over 33 lakh pilgrims had visited the Sabarimala temple by December 26. He added that elaborate arrangements have been made for the upcoming Makaravilakku season, with all major departments working together to ensure proper crowd management, safety and security of pilgrims, as well as sanitation, health, and transportation.
As per the High Court directive, spot bookings have been capped at 5,000 and virtual queue bookings fixed at 70,000. The minister said steps are being taken to control overcrowding during the season and ensure smooth, hassle-free darshan for devotees. “No pilgrim would be denied darshan,” he said.
Vasavan stated that priority would be given to stampede prevention measures. Police deployment will be increased at key points, including holy steps, trekking routes, and base camps. To prevent pilgrims from climbing trees or unsafe structures, special passes will be mandatory for viewing Makaravilakku from clearly designated viewpoints.
Restrictions will also be enforced on cooking by pilgrims camping within the temple premises, with food provided to them to avoid fire hazards related to cooking.
Vasavan said the forest department’s assistance would be sought to prepare the forest path for the Thiruvabharanam procession from Pandalam. The Ambalapuzha and Alangad teams will take part in the Erumeli Petta Thullal on January 11. The Travancore Devaswom Board has directed the Kottayam district administration to make arrangements for accommodating the teams participating in the Petta Thullal at Erumeli.
Extensive arrangements will be made for vehicle parking, with KSRTC operating special bus services to handle the heavy inflow of devotees. Vehicles coming from Tamil Nadu will be provided with parking facilities at Kumily. The Minister also announced that sanitation workers will receive a pay hike in recognition of their efforts during the festival season.