When hundreds of thousands of pilgrims thronged the legendary Sabarimala temple on the first day of the Malayalam month of Vrushchikam (November 17), they were met with total chaos and utter failure of the authorities. Pilgrims had to stand in queues for hours to get darshan. Reports suggest that nearly two lakh pilgrims visited the shrine within 43 hours of its opening on November 17. The accurate figure is reported to be 1,96,594 which includes virtual queue and spot booking. Since the local self-government elections have been announced, the State Election Commission has barred the Devaswom Minister from making any statements related to the Sabarimala pilgrimage.
Chaos, Collapse and Court Intervention
Reports from Nilakkal and Pampa are distressing to any human being, let alone temple-goers. The crowd of pilgrims, including elderly men, elderly women, and children, had to stand in queues for nearly ten hours. Several of them collapsed due to lack of drinking water, and the availability of any food was a distant dream. Eventually, the pilgrims jumped over the barricades and rushed toward the holy “18 steps” (Pathinettampadi) to reach the shrine. Some even bypassed the Pathinettampadi and entered the temple through the staff gate and the northern gate.
Women and children were squeezed in the crowd. Many pilgrims broke their vrutham (vow) at Pampa, the valley below Sabarimala, removing their sacred bead garlands, which they are supposed to take off only after returning home upon completing the pilgrimage. They returned home with heavy hearts. It is one of the most painful experiences a pilgrim can go through.
The entire pandemonium unfolded in the presence of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Sreejith IPS. Clearly, the Devaswom Board, and the state government, did not take the issue seriously; otherwise, such chaos was highly unlikely to occur.
Newly appointed Travancore Devaswom Board President K Jayakumar IAS (Retd) admitted to the media that there were lapses in the arrangements for the Sabarimala pilgrimage. He assumed office only on November 15, so it is too early to pin the blame for the disorder on him.
Jayakumar added that he apologises to the pilgrims who were forced to break their vow by removing their bead garlands and return home without darshan due to the chaotic situation. He assured that the unfortunate incidents of the past few days would not be repeated.
K Jayakumar IAS (Retd) is a former Chief Secretary of Kerala. He was the founding Vice Chancellor of the Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University. He is a well known Malayalam poet and lyricist.
Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court has initiated a suo motu petition in view of the alarming situation at Sabarimala. The Court has declared that spot booking will be limited to 5,000 until November 24; earlier, the limit was 20,000. Only those with valid bookings will be permitted to proceed to Sabarimala from Pampa. Pilgrims arriving after the stipulated 18-hour window will not be allowed to join the queue. The suo motu proceedings were initiated following the Sabarimala Special Commissioner’s report regarding the uncontrollable crowd at the shrine. The Court observed that coordination efforts had failed completely. Virtual queue booking will continue at 70,000 for the time being, and only those who present a virtual queue ticket will be allowed to go beyond Pampa. The Court also stated that 80 pilgrims should be allowed to climb the Pathinettampadi every minute.
It further observed that use of force by the police would demoralise pilgrims. The Forest Department has been directed to regulate pilgrims using forest paths. A scientific methodology must be adopted for crowd management. The area from Nilakkal to Pampa should be divided into sectors, and the carrying capacity of each sector must be assessed. The concerned departments must jointly devise measures to ensure a smooth pilgrimage. The Travancore Devaswom Board has been instructed to keep the Court informed of all developments.
The Court orally observed that none of the crowd-management measures announced in advance by the authorities had materialised. It remarked that Sabarimala cannot be managed the way ordinary temple festival committees operate, as such an approach could lead to another calamity or disaster. Arrangements and facilities should have been prepared at least six months earlier. Pilgrims, including children, were suffocating in the crowd, the Court noted, while warning of the risk of untoward incidents. The Court further pointed out that even basic facilities such as toilets had not been provided. Since chemical kesar has been banned, no one is coming forward to take up cleaning contracts. When pilgrims lose control after standing in queues for hours, they may naturally move into the forests to attend to their basic needs, the Court observed.
Gold Loot Scandal Deepens Crisis
The chaotic situation prevailing in Sabarimala has been further aggravated by the revelation of a gold loot worth several crores. Former Devaswom Board President and senior CPM leader A Padmakumar was arrested on November 20. He is a former CPM MLA and a Pathanamthitta district secretariat member of the party. He is the second Devaswom Board president to be arrested in connection with the case. Just a week earlier, another former Devaswom Board President and retired Devaswom Commissioner, N Vasu, had been arrested. There are allegations that both were involved in recording gold layers as copper layers. It may be recalled that Padmakumar had earlier hinted that he would be compelled to reveal more names. Observers now believe that the next VIP likely to face arrest is P S Prashanth, who became Devaswom Board President after shifting from the Congress to the CPM.
Kerala has been left shell-shocked by news of the gold loot. Added to this is the distressing breakdown of crowd management in Sabarimala. As a result, the longstanding demand of Hindus to free temples from the control of atheist politicians is gaining increasing relevance. For many, it appears that politicians remain fixated on the wealth and riches of the temples, while showing little concern for ensuring a smooth and dignified pilgrimage for the devotees.
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