Sabarimala has been witnessing a heavy rush for the past two days as hundreds of devotees from different parts of south India undertake their annual pilgrimage in the last lap of the 41-day Mandalam season.
The pilgrims had to wait for seven to eight hours in the barricades on the trekking path and at the Valiya Nadappanthal to ascend the 18 holy steps to the Ayyappa temple premises on Friday.
The Travancore Devaswom Board and the Ayyappa Seva Sanghom served the waiting pilgrims with medicated drinking water and biscuits.
The pilgrim flow to Sabarimala from Vandipperiyar, through the Pulmedu route, has considerably increased in the last lap of the season, sources said.
Special buses
The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation has been operating special buses to Vandipperiyar-Sathram from Kumily.
The Forest Department has restricted the movement of pilgrims at night through this path that cuts across thick forests.
Pilgrims are permitted to undertake the pilgrimage through the Sathram-Pulmedu-Sannidhanam path only during the day. The Department has also deployed specially trained elephant squads and additional forest guards on this path to protect the pilgrims from wild animals.
Path inspected
Pathanamthitta Collector P.B. Noohu, accompanied by Thiruvalla Sub-Collector Vinay Goel, inspected the Pulmedu path on Friday.
The police have taken special security measures on this route.
