Sabarimala (Kerala), Nov 17 (PTI) Over 1.36 lakh devotees have completed darshan at the Lord Ayyappa Temple since the hill shrine opened on Sunday evening for the ‘mandala–makaravilakku’ pilgrimage season.
The auspicious first day of the Malayalam month of ‘Vrischikam’ marks the start of the annual season.
Nearly 55,000 pilgrims arrived for darshan on the opening day alone, ADGP S Sreejith said on Monday.
The over two-month pilgrimage season is expected to draw devotees from across the world.
Addressing the media on security and crowd-management arrangements at sannidhanam (the temple complex), he said a total of 18,000 police personnel would be deployed across various points during the season.
At present, 3,500 officers have been stationed at sannidhanam, Pampa and Nilakkal, he added.
Police have put in place comprehensive arrangements to ensure a smooth and safe pilgrimage, and devotees have been urged to follow instructions and complete darshan responsibly.
The ADGP said a maximum of 90,000 pilgrims will be allowed per day—70,000 through the virtual queue system and 20,000 through spot bookings.
He emphasised that devotees must complete darshan on the same day for which their virtual queue pass has been issued, to prevent congestion and ensure effective crowd management.