Kerala: Chaos at Sabarimala Temple amid massive rush, HC intervenes
Kerala's Sabarimala Temple, dedicated to Lord Ayyappan, witnessed a massive surge in pilgrims this year, resulting in chaos. Devotees complained about the lack of basic amenities and safety measures, leading to the death of an 11-year-old girl. They also held a protest over the "mismanagement," which led many to cancel their trips. Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court has intervened in the matter and directed the state government to provide adequate facilities for the pilgrims.
Why does this story matter?
This temple was at the center of controversy previously, as some people protested against the ban on the entry of women devotees. However, in a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court on September 28, 2018, ended the ban which prevented women and girls between the ages of 10 and 50 from entering Sabarimala Temple. On October 17, 2018, the temple was opened for the first time for women of all ages inside the premises amid threats of mass suicides and disruption.
Pilgrims protest police blockades, lack of access
Some pilgrims alleged they were made to wait for 18 hours as police blocked their vehicles. This prompted them to block the road at Erumeli in protest, leading to further disorder. Some people even jumped barricades, leading to a stampede-like situation on the temple steps, per NDTV. A massive traffic jam that started on Friday impacted the Pampa, Nilakkal, and Sannidhanam areas for four days. The high court, meanwhile, directed authorities to ensure support for the Sabarimala pilgrims.
High court directs government to improve facilities and safety
The HC's division bench directed the state police to manage the rush to the hilltop shrine and avoid overcrowding in the queue complex. The court also ordered the Travancore Devaswom Board to consider providing drinking water and biscuits to pilgrims through National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers or local organizations. It also asked the management board to deploy adequate security personnel at parking grounds and arrange more facilities for pilgrims, including children.
CM Pinarayi Vijayan issued measures to control crowd
Following the uncontrolled scenes, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan asked officials to bring in checks to control the situation without causing inconvenience to the pilgrims. The government also decided to reduce the virtual queue booking limit by 10,000, setting the new maximum to 80,000 per day. The darshan timing has also been extended by an hour. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) workers held a protest outside the secretariat in Sabarimala, accusing the state government of mismanagement.
Possible reasons for sudden rush of devotees
According to Manorama, the Chennai floods and Telangana polls are to blame for the sudden rush. During the floods, many devotees reportedly postponed their trip after their trains to Kerala were canceled. They later booked and came together. Similarly, many people in Telangana postponed their trip owing to assembly elections; hence, the number of pilgrims reportedly increased considerably after the poll results. Some reports also alleged a lack of coordination between police in Sannidhanam, Pampa, and Nilakkala.
Know more about Sabarimala Temple
The Sabarimala Temple is devoted to a deity named Ayyappan, believed to be the son of Shiva and Mohini. Situated atop a hill in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district, it is one of the largest annual pilgrimage sites in the world, with over 15 million devotees visiting every year on several occasions, including during the days of Mandala Pooja (November 15-December 26). The Sabarimala pilgrimage includes a unique tradition of offering prayer at the mosque of Vavar, a Muslim devotee of Ayyappan.
