Kerala wants Sabarimala to be declared national pilgrim centre

A high-level meeting held here Wednesday decided to prepare a detailed project report to be submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for declaring Sabarimala as a national pilgrim centre.

The meeting was chaired by State Minister for Devasom V.S. Sivakumar and took up the recommendation made earlier by the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament to this effect.

The meeting finalised 15 points to be included in the report, including requesting the Centre to provide 500 hectares of forest land from the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Pamba-Sannidhanam region for the development of Sabarimala.

The other demands include making Nilakkal a base camp and Rs.1,250 crore for implementing the Sabarimala Master Plan.

Located on the mountain ranges of the Western Ghats at an altitude of 914 metres, Sabarimala temple is four km uphill from Pamba in Pathanamthitta district, which is around 100 km from the capital city.

The temple, which bars the entry of women who have attained puberty, is accessible only on foot from Pamba, and over the years has become a must-visit temple for devout Hindus.

Another project that was discussed for the temple town is a mono-rail project to connect Nilakkal to Pamba besides inclusion of Sabarimala in the 'Pilgrim Rejuvenation and Development' project of the Centre.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy at his first official meeting with Modi last month had sought help from the Centre for Sabarimala.