When hundreds of thousands of pilgrims started to throng the legendary Sabarimala on the 1st of Vruschikam (Malayalam) month (November 17), what they (the pilgrims) witnessed there was total chaos and utter failure of the authorities. Pilgrims had to queue up for hours after hours for darshan. Reports suggest that nearly two lakhs pilgrims came for darshan in 43 hours since the shrine was opened on November 17. The accurate figure is reported to be 196,594. It includes virtual queue and spot booking. Since the Local Self Government bodies elections have been declared, State Election Commission has stopped the Devaswom Minister from making statements in connection with the Sabarimala pilgrimage.
Reports from Nilakkal and Pampa are too pathetic to any human being, let alone temple goers. The crowd of pilgrims, including elderly men, old women and children, had to queue up for nearly ten hours. Several of them collapsed and fell down, thanks to lack of drinking water. Availability of any eatables was a futile dream. At last, the pilgrims jumped over the barricades. They stormed into the holy “18 steps” (pathinettampadi) to reach the shrine. Some pilgrims skipped the pathinettampadi and went to the temple through staff gate and northern gate. Women and children were sandwiched in the crowd. Several pilgrims broke the vrutham (vow) at Pampa, the valley below the Sabarimala, removed their bead garment which they are supposed to remove after reaching home following the completion of the pilgrimage. And they returned home with heavy hearts. It is one of most painful incidents to happen in a pilgrim’s life.
The whole pandemonium took place in the presence of the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Sreejith IPS. No doubt, the Devaswom Board (and the state government) did not take the issue seriously. Otherwise this sort of chaos is highly unlikely to happen.
Newly appointed Tiruvitamcoor Devaswom Board President K. Jayakumar IAS (Red) confessed to the media that there were lapses in the prior arrangements for the Sabarimala pilgrimage. He had only taken over the new position on November 15 hence it is too early to pass the bucks of the anarchy to him.
Jayakumar added that he apologises to the pilgrims who had to break the vow by removing the beads garland and go back home sans temple darshan due to the chaotic condition. He assured that the untoward incidents of the past few days would not repeat.
K Jayakumar IAS (Retd) is a former Chief Secretary of Kerala. He was the founding Vice Chancellor of the Thunjathezhuthachan Malayalam University. He is a well-known Malayalam poet and lyricist.
Meanwhile Kerala High Court has initiated suo motu petition in view of the frightening situation in Sabarimala. The Court has declared that the spot booking until November 24 will be 5,000. Formerly it was 20,000. Those who have booked alone will be permitted to go to Sabarimala from Pampa.
Pilgrims who come after the completion of the stipulated 18 hours would not be permitted to join the queue. The suo motu petition was initiated in the wake of the Sabarimala Special Commissioner’s report in connection with the uncontrollable crowd in Sabarimala. Court blamed that the coordination efforts failed lock, stock and barrel. Virtual queue booking will continue as 70,000 for the time being.
Those who show virtual queue ticket alone will be permitted go beyond Pampa. Eighty pilgrims should scale the pathinettampadi in every minute. The Court said that the police control ‘by force’ will demoralise the pilgrims. Forest Department should control the pilgrims those who come through forest paths. Scientific methodology should be implemented for crowd control. The area from Nilakkal to Pampa should be divided into sectors and the capacity to contain the crowd should be ascertained. And, the concerned departments should sit together and devise methods for making the pilgrimage smooth. Tiruvitamcoor Devaswom Board should keep on informing the Court accordingly.
The Court orally observed that whatever the authorities said in advance about the crowd management did not materialize. Sabarimala should not be handled like ordinary temple festival committees do. It may lead to another calamity or disaster. The arrangements and facilitations should have been started six months before. The pilgrims including children are suffocated in the crowd. The Court warned against untoward incidents.
The Court stated that not even toilets have been facilitated. Chemical kesar has been banned hence none comes forward for cleaning rights. When the pilgrims lose control after queuing up for hours together, they may naturally go into forests for performing their primary requirements.
The chaotic situation prevailing in Sabarimala is coupled with the loot of gold worth several crores. Former Devaswom Board President and senior CPM leader A. Padmakumar has been arrested on November 20. He is a former CPM MLA and Pathanamthitta district secretariat member of the CPM. He is the second Devaswom Board president to be arrested in this regard.
One week back another Devaswom Board President and retired Devaswom Commissioner N Vasu had been arrested. There are allegations that both were responsible in recording the gold layers as copper layers. It is to be remembered that Padmakumar once reportedly stated that he would be forced to expose some other names. Now, the observers believe that the next VIP to be arrested is P.S. Prashanth who got the position of Devaswom President when he moved to CPM from Congress.
The entire Kerala is shell-shocked to hear the gold loot. Then comes the worst form of crowd control in Sabarimala. Now, the demand of Hindus to release the temples from the clutches of the atheist politicians becomes more and more relevant day by day. Because the politicians’ eyes are always glued to the riches and wealth of the temple and they are least bothered to facilitate the smooth worship for the pilgrims.
