Sabarimala Pilgrims in Limbo as Virtual Queue Remains Closed Ahead of Mandala Season
Sabarimala virtual queue still closed, leaving lakhs of pilgrims struggling to plan their Mandala pilgrimage.
With just 20 days until the Sabarimala Mandala-Makaravilam pilgrimage begins on November 17, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has yet to open mandatory virtual queue bookings, triggering widespread anxiety among devotees. The delay has paralyzed travel planning, especially for lakhs of pilgrims from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra who rely on confirmed slots to book trains and observe the sacred 41-day vratham.
The season kicks off with the ceremonial opening of the sanctum sanctorum on November 16 at 5 PM, running through the Mandala Pooja on December 27. The temple reopens December 30 for the Makaravilakku festival on January 14, 2026, closing finally on January 20. Virtual queue darshan—non-negotiable for entry—remains inaccessible, leaving devotees in limbo despite the ticking clock.
TDB president P S Prashant revealed plans to launch bookings from November 1, maintaining a likely daily cap of 70,000 pilgrims, though final numbers await inter-departmental approval. The police, however, push for a reduced limit citing crowd control. Outstation leaders like Telangana’s ABASS general secretary Mohan Rao warned that without queue clarity, entire pilgrimage schedules collapse—train tickets, leave approvals, and vratham alignment hang in the balance.
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Criticism mounts as ABASS Kerala general secretary D Vijayakumar branded preparations “zero,” accusing officials of token meetings and zero coordination. With the portal still dark and no official timeline beyond vague assurances, devotees face mounting frustration as the holy hill shrine’s gates loom closer—unreachable without a digital lifeline.
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