Sabarimala: The sacred hills of Sabarimala witnessed an overwhelming surge of devotion on the first day of the Karthigai month, with approximately 1.5 lakh devotees gathering for the darshan of Lord Ayyappa. The influx led to extensive waiting times, with pilgrims enduring waits of up to six hours to ascend the holy Pathinettam Padi (18 steps) and enter the temple, signalling a bustling start to the annual pilgrimage season.

Overwhelming Influx Exceeds Daily Limit

The sheer volume of devotees on the inaugural day far exceeded the standard daily limit. While the authorities typically cap the number of pilgrims at 90,000 per day, the police department reported that the figure swelled to 1.5 lakh due to the significant increase in arrivals. Devotees from across South India, including Tamil

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