Thiruvananthapuram:
Contemplating the long-pending demand of Sabarimala devotees, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has determined to vary the ‘Darshan’ route at Sabarimala, permitting devotees to have darshan straight as they climb the holy 18 steps at Sannidhanam.
TDB president P S Prasanth introduced that this variation can be applied on a trial foundation from March 15 in the course of the month-to-month pooja and would proceed for 12 days in the course of the Vishu Pooja.
“If it proves profitable, this variation might be made everlasting in the course of the subsequent Mandalam-Makaravilakku season,” Prasanth mentioned.
He mentioned that the Board had obtained quite a few requests, together with 1000’s of letters from devotees, urging a revision of the path to facilitate a greater darshan expertise upon climbing the 18 holy steps.
“Presently, devotees who ascend the holy steps are directed to a bridge, the place they wait in a queue earlier than continuing to the opposite aspect for darshan. This setup permits them barely 5 seconds for darshan, and practically 80 per cent of the lakhs of devotees visiting Sabarimala don’t get a passable expertise,” Prasanth defined at a press convention.
The choice was taken after acquiring permission from the Temple Tantri and holding detailed discussions with stakeholders.
“With the brand new association, every devotee will get roughly 20 to 25 seconds for darshan,” Prasanth added.
To contain Ayyappa devotees within the temple’s growth, the Board can even organise a worldwide Ayyappa devotees’ meet at Pamba.
Prasanth highlighted that the Board lacks ample funds for growth initiatives at Sabarimala, and the meet would offer a chance for devotees to eagerly contribute.
“This won’t be a big gathering. We count on about 150 individuals. It’s deliberate as a two-day occasion in Could when the temple opens for the month-to-month pooja,” he mentioned.
Moreover, Prasanth introduced that GRT Jewellers from Tamil Nadu and Kalyan Jewellers from Kerala had received the tender to supply gold pendants engraved with the picture of Lord Ayyappa. These pendants might be obtainable in 1 gm, 2 gm, 4 gm, and eight gm sizes and might be distributed as ‘Vishukkaineettam’ on April 14.
“Devotees who want to buy these pendants can guide them on-line from April 1 by way of the web site www.sabarimalaonline.org,” he mentioned.
The Travancore Devaswom Board has additionally determined to extend temple providing charges by 30 per cent. Prasanth famous that the charges had been final revised in 2016, though the Board is authorised by the Excessive Court docket to revise them each 5 years.
“Attributable to floods and the Covid-19 pandemic, we had been unable to implement any price will increase. Nevertheless, after 9 years, we’re revising the charges following consultations with stakeholders, suggestions from the Ombudsman, and with the Excessive Court docket’s approval. The price of important items has tripled over the previous 9 years, leaving us with no selection however to regulate the charges,” Prasanth defined.
He additional mentioned that in 2016, the Board’s expenditure on salaries and pensions was Rs 380 crore, which has now risen to Rs 910 crore in 2025.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is printed from a syndicated feed.)
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