Kerala police create portal for Sabarimala pilgrims’ ease; here’s how it will help

As tens of thousands of pilgrims arrive each day at the Lord Ayyappa shrine at Sabarimala in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district during the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage, the police have come out with a portal to ensure the ease of darshan for devotees.

Here is all you need to know about it:

About the portal

The portal, named “Sabarimala — Police Guide”, has been created by the District Police Cyber Cell on the instructions of District Police Chief V G Vinod Kumar.

Kumar was quoted in a press release as saying that the guide would be very useful for pilgrims and it has been prepared in such a way that the information can be updated in a timely manner.

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How can you access the guide?

The police guide is in English and it can be viewed by scanning a QR code.

What does the guide contain?

The portal contains:

• All important information required by pilgrims, including the dos and don’ts to be followed by them.
• Police helpline numbers, the phone numbers of police stations, health services, KSRTC, ambulance, fire brigade, food safety, and the Devaswom office.
• A detailed description of the legend and history of Sabarimala, also known as Dakshina Kashi, various festivals, and “Irumudikettu” (holy bundle).
• Detailed information about vehicle parking grounds, routes to Sabarimala from each district (via air, rail and road), places that serve as stopovers, all police stations in the district, and the darshan route.
• Weather forecast.

All the important places on the route to the shrine, including Sopanam, Malikappuram, Azhi, and aravana counter, are also provided on Google Maps, the release said.

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The 41-day-long pilgrimage season began on November 16, the first day of the auspicious Malayalam month of Vrichikam.

(With agency inputs)