The sacred pilgrimage at Sabarimala is getting a big makeover! On Thursday, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) announced a strict new limit: only 5,000 spot bookings for darshan per day. This powerful move comes straight from the Kerala High Court, which was alarmed by the massive crowd pile-up of nearly two lakh pilgrims in just 48 hours after the temple opened on November 17. The spot booking counters will now operate only at Nilakkal and Vandiperiyar, while centers at Pampa, Erumeli, and Chengannur remain temporarily closed until November 24. The TDB strongly urges devotees to use the Virtual Queue system to book darshan slots online and avoid long waits. The Kerala High Court did not hold back in its sharp criticism of the Travancore Devaswom Board. Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar slammed the Board for "grossly inadequate" facilities—lack of drinking water, toilets, and accommodation causing misery for devotees. One petitioner, Deepak Pravin Mavani, recounted waiting three and a half hours amidst continuous pushing and absence of basic amenities. Another cited over three hours in a queue for rooms with no success. The court noted, "nearly one lakh pilgrims get darshan every day during the Mandalam-Makaravilakku season and over 50 lakh visit annually," but said, "the present arrangements are far from adequate." Television footage showed chaos—children crying in the crush, pilgrims packed near the holy 18 steps, and some climbing over barricades. Complaints of no drinking water during long waits flooded in. TDB’s new chairman, K Jayakumar, admitted, "preparations should have been taken six months earlier," agreeing with the court’s concern. To ease the pressure, the court suggested dividing pilgrims into sectors for safer movement instead of pushing everyone forward. The judges ordered the reservation of 200 rooms exclusively for online bookings to ensure fairness and transparency. A big demand emerged for basic services: the court ordered installation of at least 1,000 eco-friendly bio-toilets along the route from Nilakkal to Sannidhanam, each attended by a dedicated staff member. Drinking water must be "uninterrupted and adequate" at main points and along the trekking path, with enough staff to keep supplies flowing. Help desks with trained polyglots will be set up along the pilgrimage route to assist devotees and receive their feedback. Also, a public, multilingual grievance portal will be launched on the official Sabarimala website—all these within three weeks! The court questioned a 50-year-old practice of allowing donors five days of free stay annually and ordered a review with donor input. The TDB explained its struggles to expand infrastructure due to the shrine’s location inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve. They noted no space for drinking water kiosks or toilets near the flyover. But the court ruled, "Environmental restrictions cannot be used to deny pilgrims basic dignity." It declared the welfare of devotees as the "paramount consideration" and demanded that all directions be followed with "spirit, urgency and humanity." In summary, Sabarimala devotees can expect smoother darshan with capped crowd numbers and upgraded facilities soon. The high court’s firm orders promise a safer, cleaner, and more comfortable pilgrimage journey for millions coming to seek Lord Ayyappa’s blessings.