Kerala govt takes U-turn; reinstates spot-booking for Sabarimala pilgrims

Pathanamthitta: Following the backlash from several quarters, Kerala government has reversed its decision to scrap spot booking for the upcoming Sabarimala season,  Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated this at the review meeting held on Tuesday.

Vijayan also added that a facility will be provided for pilgrims arriving without a booking, allowing them to have darshan at the temple. Additionally, there are plans to strengthen the virtual queue system. This decision comes in response to protests by Hindu organizations.

The initial decision, announced during a review meeting for the upcoming Sabarimala Mandala-Makaravilakku festival, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, required all pilgrims to use online booking to visit the temple. A limit of 80,000 devotees per day was set to control crowding. However, this decision faced strong opposition from BJP and Hindu organisations, who threatened legal action.

Many devotees, especially those from other states, rely on spot booking to complete their pilgrimage, as they do not always have access to the virtual queue system. In the past, spot booking options were available at multiple locations, including Pandalam, Chengannur, Nilakkal, and Pamba. To avoid overcrowding, authorities initially decided to cancel spot bookings, but this led to protests.