Makaravilakku preparations in full swing at Sabarimala
The Hindu
Preparations for Makaravilakku festival at Sabarimala in full swing, with focus on security, facilities, and crowd management.
With only a few days remaining for the Makaravilakku festival, preparations are in full swing at Sabarimala to ensure its smooth conduct. The festival will be celebrated on January 14.
Pathanamthitta District Collector S. Premkrishnan on Wednesday inspected key Makaravilakku viewing points, including Laha Sathram, Panjipara, Ilavungal, Ayyanmala, Nellimala, Attamoth West, Attamoth East, and Pampa Hilltop.
Efforts are under way to provide drinking water, toilet facilities, and adequate street lighting in coordination with local bodies. The Kerala Water Authority will supply drinking water at Pampa Hilltop. Medical teams with ambulances will be stationed at each vantage point. Police and forest department officials will be deployed for security and crowd management. The elephant squad will also be positioned at necessary locations as a precautionary measure.
At Sabarimala, Additional District Magistrate Arun S. Nair convened a review meeting with all government departments. In compliance with the Kerala High Court directives, the number of virtual queue slots and spot bookings will be restricted on the day of the Makaravilakku festival and the two preceding days.
As of now, an estimated 40.90 lakh devotees have visited the hill shrine this season, with daily numbers averaging over 90,000. On some days, the count exceeded one lakh.