Sabarimala, Nov. 22 -- The annual pilgrimage to the revered Lord Ayyappa hill shrine is witnessing a smoother flow this Mandala-Makaravilakku season, as over five lakh devotees have already had darshan.
After days of heavy congestion, the situation has improved markedly, with shorter queues at the Valiya Nadappanthal and the 18 holy steps and quicker access to the sanctum sanctorum.
Officials credited the improvement to stricter crowd-control measures, regulated inflow at Nilakkal and Pampa, and streamlined management along the trekking routes.
The Kerala High Court had intervened after daily darshan figures reached nearly one lakh on certain days, following complaints about long queues, water shortages, and inadequate facilities. In res...