SABARIMALA, INDIA, December 11, 2006: The famous Ayyappa temple in Kerala has witnessed a 30 per cent increase in pilgrims arriving during the current mandala puja season which began in mid-November, compared to the corresponding period last year. Because of the heavy rush to the hill shrine since last weekend, the police and security contingent deployed for crowd management will be strengthened in the coming days, official sources said in Sabarimala on Monday.
Pilgrims had to wait several hours in a queue at the Pampa foothill and Marakkoottam near the Sannidhanam following the heavy arrival of pilgrims since Friday. At present, 72 pilgrims per minute are allowed to enter the shrine through the holy eighteen steps. “This will be increased to 92 per minute to ease the rush. For this, more police personnel would be deployed,” the temple authorities said.