The Kerala High Court has issued a strong warning to the state government and the Travancore Devaswom Board, stating that a disaster at Sabarimala is inevitable if the current level of crowd mismanagement continues. The court criticised authorities for failing to anticipate and control the massive influx of devotees during the pilgrimage season. Within just 48 hours of its opening on November 17, the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple saw nearly two lakh devotees arrive, overwhelming police and Devaswom staff, and creating severe congestion across the shrine premises.
The Bench pointed out that many of these devotees included young children, who were visibly struggling in the heavy rush. The court questioned why authorities failed to scale down the virtual queue slots despite clear signs that the temple could not accommodate the surging numbers. It noted that even after spot bookings, over 10,000 additional people climbed the hill, worsening the situation inside and around the sanctum. The judges expressed concern that forcing devotees to move in and out rapidly could lead to serious incidents, warning that basic safety protocols must not be ignored.
The High Court has directed the government and the Travancore Devaswom Board to submit detailed explanations by Friday, emphasising that preparations for the pilgrimage should have begun at least six months earlier. It questioned the rationale of letting more people enter the temple than it can safely handle and asked whether insisting on pushing nearly 80 devotees per minute into the sanctum served any meaningful purpose.
Opposition parties have seized the opportunity to criticise the state administration, accusing it of failing to provide essential facilities such as drinking water and adequate police arrangements for the pilgrimage. They argued that necessary preparations should have been completed before the model code of conduct came into effect. Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan has called for urgent judicial intervention, stating that the safety of lakhs of devotees must not be compromised. With the pilgrimage season intensifying and public pressure rising, the coming days are expected to determine how effectively authorities can respond to the High Court’s directives and prevent a potential disaster at one of India’s most significant pilgrimage sites.
