Sabarimala pilgrimage: Virtual queue booking to begin from November 1

Pathanamthitta (Kerala): Virtual queue booking for devotees visiting Sabarimala during the upcoming Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season will begin at 5 pm on November 1, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) announced on Friday.

Devotees can book darshan slots on the website sabarimalaonline.org and a maximum of 70,000 devotees can book slots daily through the online system, TDB officials said.

In addition, booking centres will function at Vandiperiyar, Erumeli, Nilakkal, and Pamba and up to 20,000 devotees will be allowed darshan daily through on-the-spot registration.

Also, this year, the accident insurance scheme for pilgrims has been expanded to cover the entire state. Previously, the scheme applied only to four districts. According to TDB, from this pilgrimage season onwards, Ayyappa devotees who suffer an accident anywhere in Kerala during their pilgrimage will receive insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh.

The scheme also provides Rs 30,000 for transporting the mortal remains of deceased pilgrims within Kerala and Rs 1 lakh for transportation outside the state.

The insurance coverage will also be extended to regular and daily wage employees of the TDB, as well as personnel from other government departments deployed in Sabarimala.

For the first time, pilgrims who die of natural causes such as a heart attack or stroke along the Nilakkal–Sannidhanam route will be eligible for financial assistance, TDB officials said.

Under the newly introduced Pilgrim Welfare Fund, families of such devotees will receive Rs 3 lakh as relief assistance, TDB said.

The TDB clarified that the virtual queue booking ID will serve as the primary proof for availing insurance benefits.