Heavy rush for Tula masa puja at Sabarimala; devotees much more than previous years

The virtual queue bookings connected Friday and Saturday exceeded 50,000, it said.

The District Police Chief, successful the release, said that during the greeting and day pujas, the devotees lasting successful enactment volition look a flimsy hold successful ‘darshan’ of the deity.

The summation successful fig of devotees assumes value arsenic the yearly Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage to the hill-top shrine is conscionable a period away.

The 41-day agelong yearly pilgrimage volition spot devotees turning up for darshan from assorted states and the unreserved of pilgrims is expected to beryllium overmuch much than now.

The authorities authorities had decided to restrict the fig of devotees each time to 80,000, who volition person to book slots done the virtual queue system arsenic determination volition beryllium nary spot booking method, a determination which was wide criticised by the absorption Congress and the BJP.

In the virtual queue system, pilgrims tin publication their darshan tickets and prasadam online done the authoritative website of the Sabarimala temple.

In spot booking, pilgrims tin publication slots for their darshan astatine designated centres identified by the Devaswom Board.

Following the criticism, the authorities backtracked from its earlier determination and said that the pilgrims who sojourn Sabarimala without virtual queue booking volition besides beryllium provided creaseless darshan astatine the Lord Ayyappa temple.