Sabarimala Pilgrimage Surpasses 30 Lakh, Down from Last Year's Numbers
Image Source: Internet
The Sabarimala temple in Kerala has seen over 30 lakh devotees visit since the start of the pilgrimage season, marking a significant drop from last year's numbers. Official data up to December 25 shows that 30,01,532 pilgrims have had darshan, with the 30-lakh mark reached by December 23 in the previous season. In comparison, by December 25 last year, a total of 32,49,756 devotees had visited the temple. The current season has seen a large influx of devotees, prompting authorities to impose strict limits on virtual queue bookings and spot bookings to control the crowd, as per High Court directions. The highest single-day turnout was recorded on November 19, with 1,02,299 devotees visiting the temple. Despite Sundays being holidays, the days saw lower footfalls compared to previous years, with a total of 61,576 devotees visiting on December 21. In preparation for the Mandala Pooja, the number of devotees allowed through the virtual queue has been reduced to 30,000 on Friday and 35,000 on Saturday, while spot bookings have been limited to 2,000. Movement of devotees from Pampa was restricted from Friday morning due to the 'Thanga Anki' procession. The Mandala Pooja will take place on Saturday, with the deity adorned in golden attire for the occasion. The Sabarimala temple will close on Saturday night at 11 pm after the 'Harivarasanam' and reopen on December 30 for the Makaravilakku festival.
