Ayyappa Vritadharis settle for earlier dates for Sabarimala trip

Mangaluru: Following the Kerala government’s decision to streamline the influx of ‘AyyappaVritadharis’ (devotees who take a pledge to visit temple to shed their miseries) in Karnataka the devotees have already started planning their visits. The Kerala government has notified that only 80,000 devotees will be allowed per day from November 16 to January 18. Karnataka alone sends over 25 lakh devotees in a typical season. It grew to 32 lakh in 2022 and 2023 after the two years of hiatus during the Covid pandemic.

Starting from November 16 to January 18 will be the season of Ayyappa pilgrimage, but this time the season may not last so long as it used to be in the past and unlike in the past the numbers of pilgrims reaching Ayyappa shrine in Kerala on 18 January to witness the ‘Makara Viluku’was tapering down for mainly for two reasons- firstly the Kerala government has announced e-booking for the visit of Ayyappa Shrine in Sabarimala

According to a rough estimate of the Tourism department, over 25 lakh Ayyappavritadharis used to go to the Shrine during November -January during the last few years, which was even higher than the numbers of Kerala, the host state of the shrine. This year after the temple opens for the Mandalam season starting on 16 November for three days, 4 lakh devotees will be expected to visit the shrine and the embargo on the numbers of daily pilgrims may spike the initial rush. The SRTC officials from both states also confirmed that the pilgrimage in their schedules is expected to rise this year. The AyyappaVritadhariSangham of Mangaluru, Mysuru, Kodagu, Udupi and Malnad districts have circulated the schedule for the visits right from ‘Mandalam’ to ‘Makara Vilukku’ stretching close to 65 days. The Sangham units will registering pilgrims from their units starting from Monday (7 Oct).

“We have to adjust our length of ‘Vritam’ (number of days they observe ‘abstinence’ from worldly pleasures and live like hermits); there Vritams starting from three days to 45 days which the Ayyappa Maladharis will undertake. We have told our members to plan their Vritam in accordance with the date and and time of their arrival at the Shrine” Gopal Guruswamy one of the senior priest of Ayyappa shrines on the coast of Karnataka, told Hans India.

Due to the Kerala government’s fiat on number of pilgrims per day the transport system has also gone in for an internal reforms. The KSRTC and Railways are yet to announce their schedules, but the private cab operators are planning for a smooth ride.

“Our network had lined up over 4000 vehicles of all classes in Mangalore, Mysore, Madikeri, Udupi, Karwar, Hassan, Shimoga and Chikkamagaluru to catch the first rush of devotees going to the Mandalam period, since this time the numbers are going to be restricted we foresee a rush for bigger vehicles (16-seater),said Sanjiv Shetty a fleet operator and a network functionary.

The devotees have their reasons, “the costs of travel have mounted, what used to cost Rs. 5000 for three days in five seater cab in 2010 now costs Rs.11,000 and if you wanted a bigger vehicle (of Innova class) it costs nothing less than Rs 16,000 from Mangalore or Mysore. It could be close to Rs. 18,000 from Bangalore I guess” said Rajan Nair who has visited the Shrine for 18 times in the past. Praveen Guruswamy, who is a senior Guruswamy, confirmed the downward trend in the devotees from the state. “There are no more all-night Bhajans like there used to be before, nowadays devotees take up the vritam (vow) only for one day before the departure to the shrine, which does not mean anything, we seniors believe that at least three weeks of celibacy was necessary on the part of the devotees prior to their departure. It was however ideal to have 41 days Vritam, but nowadays nobody has that much of patience” the Guruswamy told.

The offices and educational institutions(colleges) also look down on the Vritadharis (devotees) as they cannot shave for the entire Vrita period, wear black coloured lungi and have to move around bare foot. “They cut a sorry figure in an office environment and in classrooms, so many youngsters have cut short their Vritam to just one day” said Praveen Guruswamy.