According to the press release issued by TDB, this cap is in effect till November 24, and the restriction will apply only to the Nilakkal and Vandiperiyar booking centres
In a major change, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) announced that on-the-spot (spot) booking of darshan for Sabarimala pilgrims will be restricted to 5,000 devotees a day. The decision follows a directive by the Kerala High Court, which had expressed serious concern over crowding and safety in the hill shrine.
According to the press release issued by TDB, this cap is in effect till November 24, and the restriction will apply only to the Nilakkal and Vandiperiyar booking centres. Meanwhile, spot-booking services at Pampa, Erumeli, and Chengannur have been temporarily suspended.
The High Court’s intervention was in response to alarming crowd dynamics immediately after the temple reopened for the Mandalam–Makaravilakku pilgrimage season. The bench headed by Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K.V. Jayakumar observed that within 48 hours, the situation had “spiralled out of control”; they noted that almost two lakh pilgrims had arrived.
The judges expressed severe disappointment over the TDB's "grossly inadequate" arrangements and lack of coordination in managing the surge. They pointed to serious shortfalls in basic amenities like drinking water, toilets, and crowd-management infrastructure.
In addition, the court has ordered modifications at several levels, including, but not limited to, the installation of eco-friendly bio-toilets from Nilakkal to Sannidhanam, with each unit supervised by dedicated attendants.
Ensuring "uninterrupted availability" of safe drinking water along the trekking route, especially at Sannidhanam and Pamba. Establishing help desks throughout Pamba–Sannidhanam with “trained polyglots” to assist and solicit the views of pilgrims. Activating a multilingual grievance portal on the official website of Sabarimala for better transparency and accountability.
Responding to the court's observations, the newly-appointed chairman of the TDB, K. Jayakumar, conceded that preparations had fallen short. He admitted that many critical works ought to have been finished long in advance, as early as six months before the season commenced.
Given the changes, the TDB has strongly appealed to devotees to utilise the Virtual Queue system for booking darshan slots rather than solely relying on spot booking.
The High Court order highlights a broader issue: regulating the temple's unprecedented footfall scientifically and humanely, especially during peak pilgrimage periods. With reduced spot booking limits and various infrastructure measures, the authorities are striving to achieve a balance between preserving the spiritual experience and ensuring safety with dignity for every devotee.
The Article has been authored by Siftpreet Kaur, an Intern at Deccan Chronicle.
