Sabarimala Temple in Kerala is one of the country’s most revered pilgrimage sites, attracting lakhs of devotees who visit to seek the blessings of Lord Ayyappan, especially during the peak pilgrimage season. Managing such large crowds, however, comes with significant challenges. To streamline pilgrim services and improve crowd management, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) is planning a major digital overhaul at the temple. Here’s everything you need to know.
Sabarimala Temple To Get A Digital Upgrade
According to The New Indian Express, Sabarimala Temple is set to undergo a major digital overhaul to enhance the pilgrim experience. As part of the initiative, the authorities have set up a Project Management Unit (PMU) and begun work on measures to make the pilgrimage smoother and more seamless for devotees.
The digitalisation drive, headed by retired IAS officer Dr Santhosh Babu, will bring all services, right from accommodation booking and offerings to purchases, under one platform.
Authorities identified that pilgrims currently begin their journey six to eight hours in advance, even though it takes only about two hours to reach the shrine. This leads to unnecessary crowding and congestion.
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Here’s All You Need To Know About This
Under this PMU, they plan to use technology to better manage pilgrim movement at Sabarimala Temple. Under the proposal, devotees could receive travel advisories suggesting the best time to begin their journey, helping reduce crowding and distribute footfall more evenly.
Another key initiative is the introduction of QR code-based aravana. Devotees would be able to pay for offerings online and collect them by simply scanning a QR code, reducing the need to wait in long queues.
The plan will also continue to support cash and UPI payments, with automated dispensing of offerings being explored as well. There are also plans to launch automated vending machine-like systems to distribute naivedyam. The move is aimed at speeding up the distribution of aravana, which is currently a time-consuming process due to the large number of devotees.
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The team understands that while modernising the entire system is an amazing idea, not everyone will be open to such a big change, and they’re now conducting workshops to ensure seamless implementation.
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
FAQs
What changes are being planned at Sabarimala Temple?
The proposed changes include QR code-based services, smart queue management, digital payments, automated distribution of offerings and improved crowd monitoring.