Thrissur: Devotees visiting the famous Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple can now book their darshan online, with the Guruvayur Devaswom introducing a virtual queue system on a trial basis from Tuesday to reduce overcrowding and long waiting hours.

The virtual queue facility was formally inaugurated by Guruvayur Devaswom Chairman A.V. Gopinath at 6.45 am on Tuesday. Devaswom managers C.V. Santhosh, A.V. Prashanth and Subhash were also present at the inauguration.

The pilot project will operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays, offering eight slots each day with 300 devotees per slot, allowing up to 2,400 devotees to avail darshan daily through the online booking system.

Guruvayur Devaswom Chairman A.V. Gopinath said the initiative is aimed at easing the inconvenience faced by devotees, who often spend several hours in long queues. If the trial is successful, the Devaswom plans to extend the facility to all days of the week.

He added that the system is expected to be especially helpful during the upcoming Onam season and other peak pilgrimage periods, when the temple witnesses a sharp rise in footfall.

Temple authorities said devotees who book a slot online must report to the temple at their allotted time, ensuring a smoother and more convenient darshan experience. The virtual queue will function for 8 hours a day.

In a Facebook post, the Guruvayur Devaswom said all virtual queue slots for August have already been booked, while online booking for September will begin soon.

Devotees can reserve their darshan slots through the official Guruvayur Devaswom website.

Many devotees welcomed the initiative, saying it enabled them to have a hassle-free darshan without waiting in long serpentine queues.

(With PTI inputs)