The Sabarimala hill shrine has recorded a 50 % increase in revenue on its opening day this season, as compared to revenue collection last season when the temple was in the middle of a controversy following the Supreme Court verdict allowing women into the temple.
According to reports, the temple made Rs 3.30 crore when it reopened on Saturday, as compared to the 2.04 crore it made last season. The hill shrine has already seen a footfall of over 70,00 pilgrims since it opened for the 2 month long Mandala-makaravilaku season on Saturday (November 16).
According to reports quoting N Vasu, president of the Travancore Devaswom Board, the temple has arranged ‘Anandan’ or food offering to devotees for over 40,000 people this season.
Vasu also added that enough water was stored in the temple to cater to devotees water needs and that the board was also attempting to make Sabarimala plastic free, by starting a campaign to avoid plastic in the Irumudikettu (bundle with coconut, pooja offerings etc carried by devotees).
A recent Supreme Court verdict on the review petitions referred these petitions to a larger 7-member bench. However the court did not stay the earlier 2018 judgement which allows women of all ages the right to pray at the temple.
Following this verdict, the Kerala government stated that it will not provide protection to women devotees who wished to pray at the temple. Devaswom Minister Kadakkampally Surendran also added that the hill shrine “not meant for women activists to visit.”
A team of police officers stationed at the base camp in Nilakkal have also been checking the age proof of women devotees before allowing them to proceed further.