Let Guruvayur darshan also be conducted without a hitch

Believers would want to forget everything and pray to their favourite deities when life's hardships and miseries pile up. The peace of mind and happiness they get through this are priceless. Sabarimala and Guruvayur are temples that are getting crowded day by day. The crowd in Sabarimala increased dramatically when the Mandala Pooja period began. The congestion was significantly eased when some restrictions were imposed through the intervention of the High Court. It is hoped that the High Court's guidelines requiring spot booking in Guruvayur and preparing a plan of action within two months will solve the difficulties currently being experienced in Guruvayur darshan.

The present situation is such that a vast majority of people who come to see Guruvayoorappan have to wait for hours. The waiting time can last for hours on some special days. The High Court has suggested that spot booking be considered in view of this situation. Devotees should be divided into groups of 300 to 500 people, starting with A, B, and C, and they should be informed of the approximate time of darshan. Drinking water, seating, snacks, and a resting place should be ensured for everyone. Aadhaar and voter ID cards should be made mandatory for spot booking. The most crowded Tirupati temple has many scientific systems for darshan. The devotees do not find it difficult to wait, as there are essential facilities available.

Those who want to pour out their sorrows before the Lord often experience the bad behaviour of some temple staff as a big punishment. The court has also asked the Devaswom Board to provide regular training to those who behave in such a way. Priority should be given to the elderly, differently-abled, lactating mothers and pregnant women in the queue. An air-conditioned hall for them should also be considered. Similarly, a system is also needed to ensure that the darshan is pleasant. The Devaswom bench comprising Justice V Raja Vijayaraghavan and Justice KV Jayakumar has directed the Guruvayur Devaswom Managing Committee that separate entry and exit points are required to facilitate the movement of devotees. A high-level committee has also been appointed to coordinate the departments.

The total darshan time in Guruvayur is now 14-15 hours. Darshan is from 3 am to 2:30 pm and from 3:30 pm to 9 pm. The court has said that the decision to increase the darshan time should be taken in consultation with the Thantris. The court has also directed that a scientific study be conducted to determine the number of people the temple can safely accommodate on normal days and festival days. P.V. Radhakrishnan, Lekha Suresh and others had filed petitions seeking consideration of virtual queues, citing the difficulties they faced while visiting Guruvayur. The court has put forward these suggestions after deciding those petitions. The court has put forward these pleasing suggestions, recognising that obstacles to darshan will cause mental anguish for those who visit the temple hoping for peace of mind.