Kerala High Court warns of disaster at Sabarimala after huge crowd surge
Nearly 2 lakh devotees rushed to Sabarimala temple within two days of its reopening, overwhelming the system and prompting the Kerala High Court to call out both the state government and Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).
Over 10,000 people entered beyond safe limits, causing major congestion as many arrived without bookings or did not follow the virtual queue system.
Why does it matter?
The court has asked for answers by November 21, highlighting serious gaps in how crowds are managed at one of India's biggest pilgrimages.
Pilgrims faced long waits with little drinking water, while police struggled to keep things under control.
The TDB has now capped daily entries and set up spot booking counters, but opposition leaders say urgent action is needed so this chaos doesn't repeat in future pilgrimage seasons.