TDB urges devotees to put off Sabarimala pilgrimage

Thiruvananthapuram: Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), in wake of Covid-19 threat, has urged devotees to postpone their pilgrimage to Sabarimala when the hill shrine remains open for Meenam month poojas from March 13 to 18.
The board, which assessed the situation at its meeting held here on Tuesday, also directed the temples under its jurisdiction to cancel all festivals, processions and other events including cultural programmes ‘which are likely to attract a large number of people’, and to conduct only rituals which are unavoidable.
“In line with the precautionary measures being initiated by the state government to check spread of Covid-19, we urge devotees not to come for darshan when Sabarimala temple opens for monthly pooja on Friday,” TDB president N Vasu told reporters after the meeting. He, however, said the board was not planning to use force to deter devotees.
“We don’t think such extreme measures would be required as we expect devotees to cooperate and postpone their pilgrimage. Only poojas and usual rituals will be conducted by priests and those assigned for that, which do not require the presence of devotees or TDB employees or those from other departments on special duty. Appam and aravana counters will remain closed,” Vasu said.
TDB will also make an announcement in this regard in local television channels in southern states, from where a large number of devotees would have already planned their Sabarimala darshan this month, he said.
“We also hope the state government will ask their counterparts in neighbouring states to discourage devotees from making the pilgrimage this month,” Vasu said.
He, however, said the board was yet to take a decision on imposing similar restrictions during the Painkuni Uthram festival in Sabarimala scheduled for the last week of the month.