Special entrance unveiled at Sabarimala temple for smooth darshan access for children

In response to the growing number of child pilgrims at the Sabarimala temple, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has introduced a special gate near the Sreekovil, aiming to facilitate a seamless darshan experience for young devotees. An existing special queue (number nine) at the Valiya Nadapandal at Sannidhanam caters to children, women, and physically challenged worshippers. With the recent addition of the special gate near the Sreekovil, child devotees reaching the ‘thirumuttam’ after ascending the 18 holy steps can now bypass the flyover at Sannidhanam. This enables them to reach the Sreekovil through the special gate, providing an opportunity for darshan from the first row, and they can be accompanied by a guardian along this route. To prevent misuse of the system, guards and police have been deployed in the area. The TDB president, P S Prasanth, announced that the new facility for children became operational on Sunday morning, and pilgrims, especially those arriving from outside the state, are already benefiting from the improved system, bringing considerable relief to them.