Sabarimala Temple's Makaravilakku season wraps up with record crowds
India
Kerala's Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, during the Makaravilakku season, saw a massive turnout—about 53 lakh devotees showed up this year, reported as a record turnout.
As of 7pm on January 18, 2026, 52,10,596 pilgrims had reached Sannidhanam through two main routes.
Big numbers: Revenue and crowd control
This huge wave of visitors resulted in a preliminary estimate of around ₹450 crore in income for the temple.
To keep things running smoothly and safely, officials rolled out virtual queues, set daily entry limits, and had 2,000 police on duty.