Sabarimala pilgrims to be guests of Kottayam

**Full time facility in wayside camps to receive visitors** **Medical stores and petrol pumps to operate in major junctions at nights** Kottayam: During _Mandalam_ pilgrim season this time, the district administration will implement the Host Pilgrimage project to welcome the Sabarimala pilgrims. Under the project the route traversed by the pilgrims will be active day and night. One of the main objectives of the project is to reduce the complaints regarding the non-availability of food, medicine, accommodation and fuel for pilgrims, who passes through the city during the night. At present, the service centres of Ayyappa Seva Samithi and Seva Bharathi are the only refuges for the pilgrims after 10pm. It is being planned to offer services 24X7 during mandalam season by coordinating various departments of the government. **Wayside camps getting ready** The major wayside camps for the pilgrims in the district are Thirunakkara, Etumanoor, Kadappattoor and Vaikom Mahadeva temples. Facilities are being made in some other temples also for resting. **Thirunakkara Mahadeva Temple** 1.Can lay bed for 300 pilgrims 2.Full-time police observation 3.Information Centre in temple grounds 4._Annadanam_ (Food Service) everyday in _Oottupura_ (Dining Hall) 5.10 restrooms beside the temple pond 6._Chukku_ (dry ginger) water distributed by voluntary organizations 7.Five guru swamis for preparing the _kettu_ (bag of offerings) 8.Devaswom Board’s bus will do service from Thirunakkara temple grounds to Sabarimala at 9pm. **Vaikkom Mahadeva Temple** 1.Facility for laying bed in the _Oottupura, Kalamandapam and Ashtamipanthal_ of the temple 2.Parking ground available. This has restrooms too. 3.Brunch and rice gruel at night. 4.Medical assistance of Health Department in Devaswom Palace during _Mandalam_ season. 5.Dry Ginger water distributed by Ayyappa Seva Sangam. **Etumanoor Mahadeva Temple** 1.Renovation of roads near temple progressing on war footing 2.The _nadapanthal_ on the northern side will be completed before _Mandala_ season begins 3.Pilgrims will be provided lunch at noon and rice gruel in the evening 4.Bed laying facility at Sree Kailas auditorium **Kadappattoor Mahadeva Temple** 1.Bed can be laid for 500 people in the temple auditorium and 250 people in the panthal outside 2._Annadanam_ will be given from 7 am to 7 pm 3.35 restrooms 4.Basic facility for parking vehicles is available 5.Services of Allopathy, Homeo and Ayurveda treatment departments will be available **Facilities for the pilgrims** 1.Boards will be installed in major junctions announcing information including phone numbers of service centres in the district. 2.A list of places with facility to lay bed and board free will be prepared and given to the district centres. 3.Full details of temples and wayside camps which have arranged _annadanam_ will be given. 4.It will be ensured that at least one petrol pump and medical store are open at night in all major junctions. 5.The names of vegetarian restaurants and which among them will be open at night will be announced. 6.Boards showing direction and distance to hospitals will be displayed. 7.Mobile phone arrangements will be made for various departments to contact KSRTC, Railway and Medical College. 8.A list of doctors who are willing to work full time in emergencies will be prepared. 9.Phone numbers and addresses of people who have registered to donate blood belonging to rare groups will be maintained. 10.Restaurants and commercial outlets will be permitted to operate in the night only with the knowledge of organizations belonging to the pilgrimage and Pilgrim Coordination Committee.