Makaravilakku season again

The Makaravilakku pilgrimage season in Sabarimala is all set to begin. Like every pilgrimage season, lakhs of devotees are expected to flock to the holy shrine in the coming few days. People from across the country or foreign lands are expected to be at Sabarimala this time, as they are free from the previous hassles of COVID precautions.

The recurring crowd issues and the inept management are a concern during every festive season in Sabarimala and it pops up this year too. At the brink of every season, the government trumpets about new plans at the offing to curb the tension of overcrowding in the holy shrine. However, all such talks end up being futile with devotees bearing the pain of the inept management. This time, a dynamic queue control system has been introduced to manage congestion.

The rush at Sannidhanam and Nilakkal will be monitored in real-time through CCTV and will be alerted to devotees through announcements. The fact is that the arrangements at Sannidhanam, Pamba, Nilakkal and the road leading towards the shrine have reached nowhere. For the lakhs of devotees, the only wish would be to not wait for long hours in queue but to reach the shrine in comfort. Similarly, they also expect ease in the queue to collect the Aravana prasadams.

Last year, more than one lakh pilgrims had to wait for eight to nine hours to climb the 18th step. On another note, there are many vested interests behind the complaint in Aravana case. It is to be noted that such cases have even reached the Supreme Court. At least this time the Devaswom Board should take utmost care to avoid complaints in this regard. Aravana is now being prepared using 2.94 lakh kg jaggery delivered by last year's contractor. It is believed that at least 5 lakh kg of jaggery will be present before the mandala pilgrimage begins.

Meanwhile, health experts have warned of the risk of heart disease and sudden attacks in people who endured a tough battle with COVID-19 in the past years. Apart from imparting life-saving training to all the employees, a first aid facility led by a doctor treating heart disease should be ensured in hospitals at Sannidhanam, Pampa and Appachimedu. ICU will also be introduced in hospitals at Sabarimala. It is a good thing that emergency treatment centres have already been set up in 15 centres from Pampa to Sannidhanam.

The Forest Department has developed a mobile app to help the pilgrims. Through this app, devotees can know service centres, medical services, accommodation, and distance to cover. It was also appropriate that the Department of Motor Vehicles released a short video to familiarize drivers from other states with the accident spots on the Sabarimala road. KSRTC has been providing excellent service every year. It will be a long season but we hope that KSRTC continues their food service this time too. The concerned departments should take action against those who charge exorbitant prices in a way that exploits the devotees.

Special care should be taken to not treat devotees from other states differently, or look upon them with an envious eye. These devotees from other states may be seen disobeying rules, they are not being arrogant but it is just because of their unfamiliarity with the language. Police and others concerned should see through these things and should assist them amicably.

The arrival of devotees from other states helps boost the economic stimulus during the Sabarimala pilgrimage. The pilgrimage period also ensures the financial status of other temples for the next year. Let's hope for a plain sailing pilgrimage season this time.