New Restrictions on Sabarimala Pilgrimage

On the 6th of this month, the Kerala High Court issued key directives regarding the Sabarimala Ayyappa Swamy Temple. It ordered that during the 2026–27 Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season, Darshan (worship) be permitted for a maximum of only 75,000 devotees per day. This decision was taken to prevent security-related issues from arising in light of the massive crowds of devotees visiting the temple. The objective behind this restriction is to regulate the flow of devotees and minimize difficulties experienced within the queue lines. Consequently, it has become absolutely essential for devotees planning to undertake the pilgrimage to book their *Darshan* tickets in advance through the virtual queue system. These regulations are set to be strictly enforced during the upcoming pilgrimage season.