A remarkable influx of devotees was witnessed at Sabarimala temple on Saturday morning, as over 18,000 pilgrims paid their respects in just the first three hours after the shrine opened at 4 am. The holy hills saw a massive flow of devotees, with thousands continuing to make their way to Sannidhanam even after the temple closed the previous night. The peak of the pilgrimage season has not only attracted larger crowds but also significantly boosted the temple’s revenue, with Rs 63.01 crore collected in the first 12 days of the Mandala pilgrimage. This marks a substantial rise of Rs 15.89 crore compared to the previous year.
The sale of temple offerings, such as appam and Aravana, contributed significantly to the revenue surge. Appam sales alone amounted to Rs 3.53 crore, while the sale of Aravana reached Rs 28.93 crore, which is Rs 9.53 crore more than last season. P. S. Prashanth, the President of the Devaswom Board, attributed this growth in revenue to better management practices that have ensured smoother pilgrimages during the high-traffic season.
In response to growing concerns, the chief tantric recently clarified that certain practices, like leaving cloth in the Pamba river and rolling coconuts at Malikappuram, are not part of the temple’s official rituals. He assured that efforts would be made to educate the devotees on this matter. Meanwhile, officials are working to streamline pilgrim access to the temple, with plans to increase the availability of spot bookings, allowing even more pilgrims to visit the shrine. Last Thursday alone saw a record 87,999 visitors, the highest number of devotees for this Mandala season so far.
