The Hindu : Kerala News : TDB firm on solving pilgrims' problems in Sabarimala

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 17, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

TDB firm on solving pilgrims' problems in Sabarimala

By Radhakrishnan Kuttoor

PATHANAMTHITTA, JAN. 16. The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has reiterated its resolve to solve the problems faced by the Ayyappa devotees at Sabarimala by the next pilgrim season.

Talking to The Hindu at Sabarimala recently, the TDB president, G. Raman Nair, and the members Punalur Madhu and M.B. Sreekumar said the board had already decided to initiate steps on a war footing to provide more basic facilities at the hillock as well as the base camps at Pampa, Nilackal, Sathram, Uppupara and Erumely.

Queue complex

They also stressed the immediate need for official clearance to utilise sufficient forest land for setting up a self-contained queue complex along the trekking path to alleviate the hardships of pilgrims, during their long wait for the darshan.

They said that the TDB was planning to open distribution outlets for aravana payasam, appam and other articles at various points along the proposed complex so as to ease the pressure at the Sannidhanam.

Hygienic toilets, safe and uninterrupted drinking water, neat and cost-effective eateries and `vazhipadu' coupon counters will be provided at the queue complex.

Base camp

The TDB officials said that the rubber plantation at Nilackal, of the Kerala State Farming Corporation, should be handed over to the board to set up a full-fledged base camp for the pilgrims.

Mr. Punalur Madhu said that the board would even consider rehabilitation of the 40-odd workers there in the event of the handing over of the entire lot of land.

The TDB also proposes to develop the Sathram-Pulmedu-Pandithavalom-Sannidhanam route by the next season, he added. "There is a proposal to set up a queue complex on this route," he said.

Mr. Madhu said that the TDB was willing to acquire even the cardamom estate on the route in the larger interest of providing more basic facilities to the pilgrims.

Ghee as prasadom

Mr. Raman Nair said that a proposal to distribute ghee, offered as part of the Neyyabhishekom, in eco-friendly packets as prasadom through the devaswom counters was also under consideration.

Moving platform

He said that the TDB had already sought opinion on the tantric aspects of installing a moving platform at the Sannidhanam, without demolishing the Thidappally or any other structure on the temple precincts, as part of its efforts to facilitate trouble-free darshan at the shrine.

Mr. Sreekumar said that effective steps would be initiated to check crowding near the shrine.

They said that equal treatment of all pilgrims would be ensured at Sabarimala. No special queue for the darshan would be permitted.

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