Bhagwan Ayyappa Needs No Publicity; No Plans for New 'Sangamams,' Says TDB President K. Jayakumar
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Travancore Devaswom Board President K. Jayakumar has said that Bhagwan Ayyappa does not require any special publicity and that the Board has no plans to organize new types of promotional "gatherings-Sangamam" or events.
Speaking to reporters after a special Board meeting convened to discuss measures for improving the efficiency of Sabarimala's operations, Jayakumar said the recent controversies surrounding the hill shrine had caused great concern. He asserted that no one in the Board had committed any wrongdoing and assured that stricter monitoring would be carried out in coordination with the Vigilance department to prevent such incidents from recurring.
He also said he did not want Sabarimala to make headlines for the wrong reasons.
Jayakumar said the Board's development agenda would focus on three key areas—cleanliness, transparency and efficiency. As part of this initiative, all financial transactions at Sabarimala will be shifted to a digital platform. Digital payment will be made mandatory for all monetary transactions, including offerings and vazhipadu bookings.
Of the 608 rooms available for pilgrims, 550 will be made available for online booking. The Board has also decided to abolish the refundable room deposit system and instead charge a nominal ₹50 service fee.
To improve accommodation standards, housekeeping services will be outsourced to a professional agency. A new guest house will also be constructed near the Sabari Guest House. The existing ₹5 charge associated with virtual queue tickets will continue.
To strengthen security and crowd management, a new control room will be established at Pampa. The facility will monitor the digital systems at both Pampa and Sannidhanam. The Board plans to install 450 surveillance cameras and will study the feasibility of deploying AI-powered cameras for more efficient crowd management.
To ensure greater transparency in maintenance and construction works, an independent technical audit team, including an external agency, will be appointed. The Board also plans to construct a new theertha kulam (sacred pond) at Sannidhanam.
Considering the welfare of devotees, the Board has decided to provide ₹1 lakh as financial assistance to the families of pilgrims who die at Sabarimala. According to Jayakumar, 54 pilgrims died at Sabarimala during the last pilgrimage season.