Ayyappa Devotees to Be Addressed as ‘Swami’ and Treated Respectfully: TDB Directs Police
Thiruvananthapuram: The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has directed the police to address Ayyappa devotees arriving at Sabarimala as “Swami” and ensure respectful behaviour towards pilgrims.(sabarimalauptodate.in)
The directive comes amid complaints that some police personnel deployed for Sabarimala duty, particularly those without adequate training, have behaved improperly towards devotees.
TDB President K. Jayakumar raised the issue at a recent Sabarimala review meeting and called for police personnel assigned to Pampa, Sannidhanam and Nilakkal during the upcoming Mandala-Makaravilakku season to be given training on appropriate conduct towards pilgrims.
Pathanamthitta District Police Chief R. Anand has been entrusted with making arrangements for the training.
Complaints regarding police conduct at Sabarimala are not new. In the past, there have been instances of devotees being pushed aside and batons being used when crowds became difficult to control. Following such incidents, police personnel had been instructed to address devotees as “Swami”, avoid using batons for crowd control under any circumstances and refrain from disrespectful behaviour towards pilgrims.
At the same time, the police have earned considerable appreciation for their service during the Sabarimala pilgrimage. With lakhs of devotees visiting the hill shrine, officers regularly manage large crowds patiently and assist pilgrims in difficult situations.
Devotees have also shared positive experiences of police personnel helping those who lose their way, become exhausted or require assistance during the pilgrimage. The TDB's latest directive seeks to ensure that courteous and respectful treatment of devotees remains an important part of crowd management and security arrangements at Sabarimala.