Thiruvananthapuram: An empty KSRTC bus traveling the Sabarimala pilgrimage route in Kerala caught fire early Sunday morning. The bus was making its way from Pampa to Nilakkal to collect Sabarimala pilgrims when the fire ignited.
The incident took place at around 5:30 a.m. at the 30th hairpin bend on the wooded path between Chalakkayam and Nilakkal. The driver noticed smoke and flames rising from the vehicle and promptly stopped it. While the bus sustained partial damage, there were no reported injuries.
Firefighting teams from Pampa and Nilakkal quickly arrived to tackle the blaze. A. Ajikumar, a member of the Devaswom Board, visited the scene afterward.
In related news, the Kerala High Court has instructed KSRTC to prohibit pilgrims from traveling in scheduled buses to Sabarimala, allowing only those buses with valid fitness certificates to operate. Additionally, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has decided to keep the Sabarimala temple open for 18 hours daily throughout the pilgrimage season.
Food will be provided to pilgrims at Sannidanam, Pampa, and Nilakkal, and ‘chukkuvellam’ (water boiled with dried ginger) will be available at several locations. This year’s Sabarimala pilgrimage season started on November 15, coinciding with the beginning of the Malayalam month of Vrishchikam. The Sabarimala Ayyappa Swamy Temple draws millions of pilgrims each year, and to accommodate the large number of devotees, the TDB has implemented virtual booking for daily darshan, allowing around 70,000 visitors a day.
Spot booking facilities have also been introduced for added convenience. Pilgrims seeking spot bookings at Pampa, Vandiperiyar, and Erumeli must present an Aadhaar card. Alternatively, they can use their Voter ID or passport if they do not have an Aadhaar card; those without any form of booking will be denied entry to Sannidanam.
Devotees of Sabarimala typically observe a period of 41 days of penance, emphasizing physical and mental purity. During this time, they adhere to strict dietary rules, consuming only simple vegetarian meals, with rice eaten once daily while avoiding non-vegetarian food, alcohol, and betel paan. Breakfast is taken after a bath, the application of ‘vibhuti’, and the chanting of Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa. Devotees usually prepare their meals themselves, carrying an ‘irumudikettu’ (a sacred bundle) on their heads, which contains rice and cooking utensils.