Kerala government to allow online booking for Sabarimala pilgrims at Akshaya centres as opposition mounts

Opposition mounts against decision to disallow spot bookings

The Kerala government appeared to choose a midway path on Sunday (October 13, 2024) following increasingly strident and politically bipartisan opposition to the administration’s controversial decision to disallow spot booking for pilgrims aspiring to offer prayers at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple during the impending mandala season and limit their daily numbers to 80,000.  

Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan told reporters that the government would open Akshaya Centres at Erumeli, Kadapattoor, Ettumanoor and Chenganoor so pilgrims could make last-minute online bookings.

He pointed out that an overwhelming number of pilgrims camp in the localities before making the final leg of their journey to Sabarimala.

However, Mr Vasavan said that given security and crowd management concerns, the government was unlikely to reverse its decision to disallow spot bookings.

He said the government’s decision to limit the number of devotees trekking uphill to Sannidhanam to 80,000 daily would stay to facilitate a hassle-free darshan.

Mr Vasavan said allowing online booking at the Nilackal base camp appeared impractical. The government would take a final call in consultation with the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).

Footfall forecast

A senior official said an accurate daily forecast of the anticipated footfall of pilgrims would help law enforcement calibrate police deployment. He said the number of pilgrims visiting Sabarimala peaked during weekends and holidays and dwindled during working days.

Opposition ire

By disallowing spot bookings and limiting the number of pilgrims to 80,000 daily, the government had invited the ire of Hindu organisations, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Congress.

October 26 meeting

Various Hindu organisations and Ayyappa devotee groups have announced their intention to converge in significant numbers at Pandalam in Pathanamthitta district on October 26 to register their protest against the government’s “anti-pilgrim” decision.

The outfits have also called for prayer meetings across the State on October 16. Mr Vasavan warned against politicising the pilgrimage.

Social polarisation

The government appeared keen to avoid a social polarisation ahead of the by-elections in Chelakkara, Palakkad Assembly constituencies, and the Wayanad Lok Sabha segment. 

Save Sabarimala campaign

In 2018, Congress and BJP, allegedly in conjunction with Sangh Parivar-backed Hindu majoritarian forces, had launched widespread and communally tinged protests against the first Pinaray Vijayan government for attempting to implement the 2018 Supreme Court decision to erase the ban on young women from entering the temple. 

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) responded by mobilising those who supported the SC decision and giving police cover to women choosing to visit the temple.

The stand-off precipitated a fraught social situation in Kerala and roiled provincial politics. The Sabarimala issue was a central campaign platform for the Congress and BJP against the ruling LDF in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. 

CPI(M) stance

On Friday, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] State Secretary, M.V. Govindan, signalled the ruling party’s willingness to strike a via media between the opposition’s concerns and the temple administration’s arrangements. 

Opposition’s warning

Congress Working Committee (CWC) Ramesh Chennithala and BJP State president K. Surendran warned of agitations if the government did not reinstate spot booking.

Published - October 13, 2024 12:40 pm IST