HYDERABAD: The Travancore Devasthanams Board has appealed the Ayyappa devotees coming to Sabarimala should follow certain guidelines to avoid polluting the holy Pamba River and should use the facility of allocating a time slot online for Swami darshan at the Sannidhanam.
The Board on Wednesday issued a statement informing Ayyappa devotees in all states, especially Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, of the rules and regulations issued by the temple’s Pradhan Thantri on the occasion of Mandal-Makaravilakku 2024-25.
The temple authority has stated that the number of devotees who reach the Sannidhanam every day is around 70,000 to 80,000, but since only 10,000 people can reach the Sannidhanam from the entry point, devotees should make advance arrangements online. The temple authority has said that devotees can choose a date and time convenient for them online.
Devotees using the booking facility at the Pamba entry point should bring their Aadhaar card and foreign devotees should bring copies of their passports. The temple tantri said that plastic straws should not be used to protect the environment in the holy waters of Pamba. The tantri asked the devotees to maintain a plastic-free environment while maintaining the sanctity of the sanctum sanctorum.
The temple has asked devotees not to throw their initiation robes into the Pamba River and to protect the sanctity of the Pamba and keep the river waters clean. In view of the large number of devotees, steps are being taken to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to have darshan of Lord Ayyappa and that no devotee is said to have been unable to have darshan of Lord Ayyappa.
