Sabarimala: A group of Lord Ayyappa devotees, who had initially returned without completing their darshan due to the overwhelming crowd at Sabarimala, successfully climbed the holy hills again on Wednesday and offered prayers, thanks to prompt police intervention.

The 17-member group, which included children and elderly women from Kallambalam, had faced difficulty completing their pilgrimage as the temple was flooded with devotees. The group’s plight came to the attention of the police after visuals of the disappointed pilgrims were broadcast on television channels.

ADGP S Sreejith, the police coordinator at Sabarimala, took swift action upon seeing the media coverage. He personally contacted an elderly woman from the group by phone and assured them of support to return to the shrine and have a hassle-free darshan. Two children, a boy and a girl, who were visiting Sabarimala for the first time, were also part of the group.

Later in the day, the pilgrims expressed their gratitude to the media, stating that they were able to offer prayers only because of timely assistance. “We never expected that we could see Lord Ayyappa and offer him prayers this time. It is only because of the Lord’s intervention that we could come back here,” one of the women said, visibly elated. ADGP Sreejith humbly remarked that the thanks should be directed to Lord Ayyappa rather than the police.

He further emphasized that any pilgrim arriving with a valid virtual queue pass would be ensured a chance to have darshan, reflecting the police’s strong resolve to facilitate smooth pilgrimage experiences.

The challenge arose as nearly two lakh devotees arrived at the shrine within 48 hours of the temple opening for the annual ‘mandala-makaravilakku’ pilgrimage season. Both the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) and the police had been struggling to manage the massive flow, which included a significant number of children.

Television visuals captured the extreme congestion in the small area in front of the 18 sacred steps leading to the sanctum sanctorum. Pilgrims were seen packed like sardines, while long queues extended from Pamba, the foothills of Sabarimala, to the Sannidhanam. Many devotees faced hours-long delays navigating the steep and narrow pilgrimage route.

The timely intervention by the police not only enabled the 17-member group to fulfill their spiritual quest but also highlighted the authorities’ commitment to facilitating orderly and accessible darshan for all pilgrims, especially during peak pilgrimage periods.