| Next Makara Vilakku is on 14th Jan
2008.
Last slot of the season for Neyyabhishekams is between 0400 and 1000 hrs 18th January 2008. |
(Must Read for Your Own Safety)
Pickpockets have always had a heyday at any place where crowds gather. Sabarimala is no exception. Quite a few pilgrims who have returned from there have complained of pick pocketing. The victims accept their fate without as much as lodging a First Information Report with the police authorities. Please be careful. Distribute your money in different places on your body/clothing/luggage. An inside pocket on your vest/ waist belt would be ideal. To avoid currency notes being damaged by sweat, wrap them in a plastic sheets. Distribute your currency amongst different pieces of baggage, The shoulder sling bags are most vulnerable to pickpockets. They can be slit open expertly, by pickpockets, without your knowledge. Do not let a single person in your batch carry all the cash belonging to the group. Do not leave your baggage under the care of unknown pilgrims. For all you know the pilgrim may be a pickpocket in disguise.
Wherever there are queues, agents and touts sprout up offering `quick solutions' for a fee. Agents promise you short cuts for everything ranging from arranging accommodation/quick darshan/easy availability of prasadam without standing in queues/quicker transportation and many such things. Please be warned that no official agency including Ayyappa Seva Sangham, Devaswom Board or Police have appointed any agents to transact on their behalf. Such agents are masqueraders and cheats. Please beware,
Last season there were many complaints relating to overcharging of consumers by public phone booth operators. The rates that apply to their use is no different from that at any other location elsewhere in India. Consumers are well aware of such rates. Ensure that the meter is functional before you originate your calls. Do not pay any excess charge demanded by these booth operators on the plea that the meter is not working properly. Insist on a printed receipt and pay only the amount indicated on the bill. Lodge complaints with the police authorities in cases of overcharging.
If there are children, aged persons or illiterate persons , who are incapable of handling themselves, in your group it is vital to brief them about a `rendezvous' point to which they should proceed should they happen to stray from the group. Ideally vulnerable members of the groups should have name tags attached to their clothing. The name tag should have the guardians' names, phone number, address etc. This is especially so in the case of small children because, when lost, small children breakdown under strain, start crying and are unable to coherently answer queries. Such small measures save a lot of heartbreak, tension and agony on all sides.
The rendezvous point could either be the Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sangham or Malayala Manorama public announcement booths at Pampa/Sannidhanam. At your request, these booths would issue public announcements to help you gather your flock together.
ABASS has been witness to a large number of pilgrims straying away from their respective groups. The agony and aftermath is unbearable and we always wonder why pilgrims don't observe the simple precautions that we suggest.
For your own safety and for the safety of others do not rush, push or break the queue when queue or barricade system is in force. These systems have been developed based on years of past experience. Lack of attention to these minor safety regulations can lead to total stampede with heavy loss of lives and injuries to you and others. Police and other volunteer agencies are trying to do a difficult job to ensure the safety of all pilgrims. Please be patient and co-operate with these authorities for the safety of all. Law breakers will be pulled out of the queue and severe penal action will be initiated against them for disturbing peace and disobedience of orders.
If viewers have experienced any severe problem which needs immediate remedial action by the authorities, please do email us and we shall forward it to the concerned authorities at the highest level. Complaints are generally not accepted by these authorities unless full details of the individual are stated.
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