Pathanamthitta: With the Mandala Pooja just hours away, Sabarimala is witnessing a huge surge in devotees, creating long queues and extended waiting times. Yesterday alone, about 1 lakh pilgrims visited Sabarimala. Devotees waited up to 15 hours for darshan.
The number of devotees climbing the Sabarimala has seen a significant increase, with approximately 23,000 pilgrims ascending the mountain in the evening alone. While previously 4000 to 4500 devotees climbed the mountain per hour, the current rate has slowed to 3500 per hour.
Pilgrims faced significant delays in reaching Sannidhanam from Pamba and underwent a three-hour wait in Pamba alone before beginning the climb. Even after the closing of the sanctum sanctorum at 11 last night, Sannidhanam remained crowded, and the queue for darshan extended to Neelimala.
To manage the surging crowds, a large-scale vehicular restriction was implemented in various parts of Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts. Devotees arriving in Erumeli had to wait for several hours. A group of pilgrims from Tamil Nadu protested by blocking the Erumeli-Pamba road.
The influx of devotees intensified because yesterday was a holiday. Besides those arriving through Pamba, a large number of pilgrims are also taking the Pulmedu Kanana Patha route. The escalating numbers have led to even children having to wait for 15 hours.
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