Sabarimala: The ongoing pilgrimage season at Sabarimala temple in Kerala has witnessed a significant revenue increase of Rs 15.89 crore in just 12 days. The revenue stands at Rs 63.01 crore when compared to Rs 47.12 crore during the same period last year.

Revenue from the distribution of appam reached Rs 3.53 crore, while aravana sales contribute Rs 28.93 crore.

The number of pilgrims has also surged this season, with 9,13,437 devotees visiting so far, an increase of 3,59,515 compared to 5,53,925 visitors during the same period in 2023.

The season recorded its busiest day on Thursday, with 87,999 devotees offering prayers. The day also saw the highest spot bookings, with 15,514 slots filled, while 768 pilgrims arrived via the forest route.

Virtual queue system

The Devaswom Board aims to cap the daily pilgrim count at 90,000 to ensure smooth management. Currently, virtual queue bookings are capped at 70,000, with plans to keep it unchanged. Increasing virtual queue bookings to 80,000 could lead to crowding along the Saramkuthi stretch, making crowd control unmanageable, according to the Board's assessment.

Meanwhile, Devaswom Board President Adv. P.S. Prashanth assured that all devotees arriving through spot bookings would be facilitated for darshan at the temple. He emphasized the coordinated efforts of various government departments in managing the pilgrimage season.