THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Sabarimala pilgrimage concluded smoothly, generating an additional revenue of Rs 80 crore, with a total income of Rs 440 crore, marking a record. The number of devotees increased by over six lakhs compared to the previous year, Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan announced in a press conference.
A daily limit of 80,000 devotees was set for darshan, combining virtual queue and spot booking. However, there were days when more than one lakh devotees visited.
The coordinated efforts of government departments and meticulous planning ensured a complaint-free pilgrimage season. The initial announcement of halting spot booking caused anxiety and protests, prompting the government to revise its decision.
Last year, poor crowd management left many devotees stranded at Pampa and along the forest path, forcing a significant number to return home without visiting the temple. Some even had to return after breaking the ghee-filled coconuts (Neithenga) at Pandalam itself. This year, darshan hours were extended by one hour from the outset, and the number of devotees passing through the sacred 18 steps per minute was also increased. Experienced police officers were deployed to facilitate this.
Successful planning:
Spot Booking: 10 lakh people
Revenue Breakdown:
Highest single-day attendance: 1,08,800
Police personnel deployed for crowd management: 13,655