Thiruvananthapuram: The Travancore Devaswom Board has withdrawn its decision to mandate virtual queue reservations for the visitors of famed Lord Ayyappa temple, Sabarimala, during the Makaravilakku season.
The decision was taken during a high-level meeting of key authorities and board members called by the Kerala government.
President of the board, PS Prashanth, said that no one arriving at Sabarimala, including those without virtual queue bookings, would have to return without a darshan. However, he did not clarify whether a spot booking system would be implemented instead.
The board plans to request the government to establish a system in place of spot booking, and appropriate decisions will be made after discussions with the government.
Virtual queue booking serves as an official record for each devotee visiting Sabarimala, while spot booking is merely an entry permission document for Sabarimala.
In the changed circumstances, having accurate information about each devotee arriving at Sabarimala is essential for both their safety and the temple's security. Being able to anticipate the number of devotees arriving each day will help manage the crowds at Sabarimala scientifically. This will facilitate smoother access to darshan, prasad, appam, and aravana.