The Hindu : NATIONAL / KERALA : Sabarimala witnesses heavy rush

The Hindu : NATIONAL / KERALA : Sabarimala witnesses heavy rush

Sabarimala witnesses heavy rush

RADHAKRISHNAN KUTTOOR

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RAF, NDRF deployed for crowd control

Long wait:Pilgrims being blocked by the police at Pampa to regulate crowd on Monday afternoon.– Photo: Leju Kamal

With hardly 36 hours left for the Mandalapuja, the sacred grove of Sabarimala has been witnessing heavy rush, forcing the police to block the flow of pilgrims periodically to the Sannidhanam from Pampa from Sunday night.

The throng of pilgrims turned so heavy that the space between the U-turn on the Saramkuthi path and the Valiyanadappanthal has been witnessing a near-stampede from Monday afternoon. The Rapid Action Force (RAF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been controlling the crowd along this highly risky and difficult stretch to avert any untoward situation.

The vehicular traffic on the main trunk road leading to Pampa too has gone up beyond estimation and the police had to block the Pampa-bound vehicles at definite intervals at Plappally and Nilackal. Almost all the parking lots at the main base camp at Nilackal have turned full and the pilgrims were left with little option but to park their vehicles on the wayside.

The police had a tough time in regulating the vehicular traffic as well as the pilgrim flow to the holy hillock on Monday.

Pilgrims had to wait for hours together inside the crowded zigzag barricades to reach the Sannidhanam. Pilgrims who have undertaken the pilgrimage on Monday told The Hindu that it took 15 to 16 hours for them to reach the Ayyappa temple premises owing to the slow pace of movement along the trekking path, especially between Sabaripeedhom and the Sannidhanam.

Travancore Devaswom Board president M.P. Govindan Nair and the Special Commissioner appointed by the Kerala High Court K. Babu, are camping at the Sannidhanam.

Devaswom Minister V.S. Sivakumar; chief coordinator K. Jayakumar, TDB member Subhash Vasu, and Devaswom Commissioner N. Vasu will reach the Sannidhanam on Tuesday.

Mandalapuja

The ceremonial procession carrying Thanka Anki, golden attire of the presiding deity, will reach Pampa on Tuesday forenoon. The holy attire will be taken from Pampa to the Sannidhanam by the Ayyappa Seva Sanghom volunteers on their head and the deity will be decorated with it prior to the Deeparadhana.

The Mandalapuja will be held between 12.15 p.m. and 12.30 p.m. on Wednesday. The deity will be adorned with the Thanka Anki prior to the Mandalapuja.

A Kalabhabhishekom will also be performed to the deity prior to the Utchapuja. The temple will be closed after the Athazhapuja on Wednesday, marking the culmination of the Mandalapuja, and will reopen for the Makaravilakku festival on December 30.

Meanwhile, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has deployed 160 buses for conducting chain service between Pampa and Nilackal on Sunday and Monday, according to official sources.