Kerala High Court directs sweeping reforms to Guruvayoor Temple Darshan system for crowd management

The Kerala High Court on Friday issued comprehensive directions to the Guruvayoor Devaswom Managing Committee for revamping and streamlining crowd management at the Guruvayoor Sree Krishna Temple [PN Radhakrishnan v State of Kerala & ors and connected cases]. .A Division bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice KV Jayakumar noted that although the temple is open for long hours, the actual darshan time is limited to 10–11 hours a day due to ritual closures.Hence, it suggested categorising devotees into groups of 300–500 persons and allotting time bands to reduce crowd density.This was after the standing counsel for the Devaswom said that the capacity of the temple is around 7,000 to 10,000 devotees. "If the permissible daily limit is 7,000, then physical bookings should not exceed that number. Bookings may be distributed across morning and evening sessions. The devotees may also be categorised into groups (A, B, C, D, etc.), each consisting of 300–500 persons, enabling staggered darshan and reducing crowding inside the temple premises," the Court saidFurther, the Managing Committee must establish a system for real-time digital display of darshan progress and queue movement. A modified physical queue with real-time intelligence would significantly ease the burden on devotees, it was directed.The temple may also explore enhancing darshan hours through consultations with the Thantri, the Bench added.These directions were passed after the Court observed that devotees are entitled to a peaceful and dignified darshan free from avoidable hardship and emphasised that the Guruvayoor Devaswom Managing Committee has both a statutory and spiritual duty to protect devotees from unnecessary hardship.The Bench said that even ancient scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam highlighted the duty to treat devotees with care and compassion."These texts consistently emphasise that it would displease the Lord if any hardship, inconvenience, or distress were caused to those who worship Him. In essence, both the Bhagavad Gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam underscore the sacred duty to protect the interests and welfare of pilgrims and devotees, ensuring that they are treated at all times with the highest degree of care, respect, and consideration," the Court added..The Court was considering petitions which stemmed from complaints highlighting the plight of the elderly, women, children, and differently abled devotees, who have to stand for hours in serpentine queues, particularly during festive days for darshan at the Guruvayoor temple.Few of the petitioners pointed out that during peak season, devotees have to wait between 8 to 12 hours for darshan. They also narrated the difficulties faced during the Ekadashi festival in 2024 and highlighted the insufficient infrastructure inside and outside the temple.The petitions also challenged the irrational withdrawal of the virtual queue system which was implemented by the temple authorities during the COVID pandemic period.It was argued that the traditional queue no longer met the needs of the steadily increasing pilgrim flow..The Guruvayoor Devaswom opposed the restoration of online booking, explaining that strict pooja vidhis laid down by Adi Shankaracharya made it impossible to assign precise darshan time slots. The Committee stated that the earlier hybrid model led to clashes between online bookers and devotees who waited in the physical queue, compelling it to discontinue virtual booking.It further submitted that the temple's limited darshan hours, which was roughly 10 to 11 hours per day between ritual closures, made it difficult to manage large numbers of devotees through any system that committed to fixed timings..The Court, however, observed that the temple authorities couldn't justify retaining an outdated system that burdened devotees, just by citing ritual limitationsIt stressed that modern technology could be harmonised with traditional practices without violating tantric requirements."Nevertheless, this Court is of the view that technology can be adapted to complement, not compromise, traditional tantric practices. Given the hardships faced by devotees, it is high time that a new, modern, scientifically-designed system is introduced to ease their difficulties and ensure a dignified and spiritually fulfilling experience," the Court added.Thus, it issued an extensive list of directives, starting with a scientific study to fix the temple's daily carrying capacity and categorising devotees into groups of 300 to 500 persons.It also highlighted the absence of real time information on queue movement and stated that a digital system, including mobile applications with AI based predictions, could resolve this without disturbing temple rituals.Among the infrastructural reforms, the Court directed that basic amenities like drinking water, seating, shade, fans, resting zones and special waiting halls for senior citizens, feeding mothers, children and differently abled persons must be mandatorily provided.Further, it directed the constitution of a permanent multi-departmental committee comprising of the Chairman/Member, Devaswom Managing Committee, District Collector of Thrissur, Superintendent of Police, municipal officials along with health and environmental authorities which include the Secretary, Guruvayoor Municipality, District Coordinator, Suchitwa Mission, Environmental Engineer, Pollution Control Board and the District Medical Officer, to handle the civic challenges arising from heavy pilgrimage.The Court stated that an action plan must be submitted to the Court within two months. .Advocate Hrithwik D Namboothiri appeared for the petitioner PN Radhakrishnan.Advocate K Mohanakannan appeared for the petitioner Sumesh CMAdvocate Lekha Suresh appeared in person.Standing Counsel Vipin Das represented the Guruvayoor Devaswom managing committee..[Read Judgment].Follow Bar and Bench channel on WhatsAppDownload the Bar and Bench Mobile app for instant access to the latest legal news.