Sabarimala: The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has decided to stop spot bookings at the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple ahead of the Makaravilakku festival in light of the steadily increasing number of pilgrims visiting the hill shrine. 

The virtual queue booking to facilitate the pilgrims to have ‘darshan’ at the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple from January 16 to 20 during the Makara puja commenced on Wednesday.

“There will be no spot bookings for pilgrims from January 10, and the virtual queue bookings are limited to 40,000 on January 15, the day of the Makaravilakku,” TDB officials said. The spot booking facility will be limited to Pampa, Nilackal, and Vandiperiyar centres from January 16, said Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) President P S Prashant.

While 50, 000 devotees will be allowed darshan on January 16, a total of 60,000 pilgrims will be extended the facility under the system from January 17 to 20.

The holy hill shrine is witnessing a heavy rush of pilgrims ahead of the auspicious Makaravilakku Festival, which falls on January 15. As a crowd control measure, the TDB suspended spot bookings from January 10, while virtual queue bookings are limited to 50,000 on January 14 and 40,000 on January 15.

“We’ve requested to avoid darshan by ‘Malikappurams’ and ‘Manikantas (women and children) to avoid darshan on these days. Instead, more Ayyappas will be allowed darshan between January 16 and 20,” a TDB official said.

An average of one lakh pilgrims continue to have darshan at the temple now. This includes 80,000 virtual queue slots. Long queues are being witnessed in the hills with devotees continuing to arrive at the last leg of the pilgrimage, which will draw to a close on January 20.

Pilgrims will witness the reception of the 'thiruvabharanam' (sacred ornaments) at the Sannidhanam (temple complex) and the 'deeparadhana,' adorning the idol with jewels, on Makaravilakku day. After the Makaravilakku darshan, the hill shrine will remain open until January 20 for pilgrims to offer prayers, according to TDB sources.

The Guruthi ritual for propitiating the cohorts of Lord Ayyappa will be performed at Malikappuram temple on January 20th night, marking the end of the nearly three-month-long pilgrimage season. No person will be allowed to enter the Malikappuram after that. Though the temple will be opened the next day morning, darshan will be limited to the representative of the Pandalam royal family. It will be closed soon afterward.