Union Minister Kishan Reddy urges Kerala CM to improve facilities for Ayyappa devotees

Expressing deep sadness over the unfortunate incident, the Minister highlighted the significance of the Sabarimala Temple and the 40-day spiritual journey undertaken by Lord Ayyappa's devotees as a revered belief system within Hinduism.

Hyderabad: In the wake of the recent tragic incident involving the death of a young girl in a stampede at the Sabarimala temple, Union Minister for Tourism, Culture and Development of Northeast Region, G. Kishan Reddy, has addressed a letter to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Expressing deep sadness over the unfortunate incident, the Minister highlighted the significance of the Sabarimala Temple and the 40-day spiritual journey undertaken by Lord Ayyappa’s devotees as a revered belief system within Hinduism.

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With close to 1 crore devotees visiting Sabarimala annually, a substantial number hailing from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, he emphasized the need to address the severe inconveniences faced by devotees during the Mandala season.

In the letter, Kishan Reddy urged the CM to deploy adequate personnel and staff to reduce the wait time for devotees. He also requested intervention to ensure the provision of basic amenities such as food, water, hygienic sanitation facilities, and medical assistance for devotees making the pilgrimage.

“It has come to my notice first-hand from Ayyappa Swami bhaktas and through various news reports of the severe inconveniences being faced by devotees due to long wait times at the Sannidhanam. The recent death of a young girl while waiting to avail of darshan has also caused much anguish and pain (sic),” he stated in the letter.

Highlighting the importance of a safe and secure passage for devotees availing Lord Ayyappa’s darshan, Kishan Reddy conveyed the readiness of the Central government to support initiatives addressing these concerns. Additionally, he proposed considering the involvement of non-governmental organisations willing to assist, permitting them to operate in the temple premises and along the trekking path from Pampa to Sannidhanam.

The letter concluded with a plea for Pinarayi Vijayan’s immediate attention to the matter, urging him to take all necessary actions to ensure the safety and convenience of devotees.