Sabarimala: The State Government of Kerala had earlier
formed a special committee comprising of Health Secretary, State Police Chief,
Forest Secretary, Home Secretary and Principal Secretary. The committee has
submitted its report on the planned reopening of Sabarimala Temple. The special
committee has advised to allow 1,000 pilgrims per day and 2,000 pilgrims on
weekends. The pilgrims will need to submit a Coronavirus Negative Test Certificate
for the allowance to the shrine and most likely will have to undergo a
coronavirus test before they are slowed to take pilgrimage. Since the
coronavirus pandemic broke out in March, major temple destinations were forced to
shut. Last month, Tirumala Temple in Andhra Pradesh conducted annual ‘Brahmotsavam’
without devotees.
Along with Sabarimala, Shirdi and Tirumala temples are three
of the major temple destinations in India with millions of devotees make their
ways to these Indians and a considerable number of devotees will make journey
to India from abroad to visit these temples. Sabarimala is considered to be a
holy shrine dedicated to Hindu deity ‘Ayappa.’ It is estimated that tens of
millions of devotees make the pilgrimage to Sabarimala annually. A significant number
of devotees who make the pilgrimage to Sabarimala are from the South Indian
states such as Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Kerala.
