Kerala High Court Slams Temple Board, Imposes Pilgrim Cap After Chaos
The Kerala High Court has taken decisive action to control the overwhelming crowd at the Sabarimala temple, imposing a strict daily cap of five thousand pilgrims for spot booking. This critical decision came after a division bench of the court expressed severe criticism of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) for its failure to manage the situation.
A Situation Spiraling Out of Control
The court's intervention was prompted by a complete breakdown of crowd management at the hill shrine. Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar did not mince words, stating that the situation had spiraled out of control following the temple's opening for the pilgrimage season on November 17, 2025. The bench highlighted the gravity of the crisis, pointing out that a staggering nearly two lakh pilgrims had descended upon the temple within a mere 48-hour window.
Court's Stern Rebuke and Immediate Measures
The bench was unequivocal in its assessment, holding the TDB responsible for the administrative failure that led to the chaos. The court's order to limit the number of devotees through the spot booking facility to five thousand every day is a direct response to prevent a repeat of such dangerous overcrowding. This measure is intended to restore order, ensure the safety of the pilgrims, and facilitate a smoother and more dignified darshan experience for everyone visiting the sacred site.
The court's ruling, delivered on November 20, 2025, underscores the urgent need for better planning and infrastructure to handle the massive annual footfall at one of India's most prominent pilgrimage destinations.
