Queue for Darshan extends up to Sabaripeedom

SABARIMALA:  Pilgrims were forced to wait in jam-packed queues for seven to eight hours on the trekking path for darsan of Lord Ayyappa as the inflow  continued for the second day on Tuesday. For the first time during the ongoing season, the long queue of pilgrims crossed Sabaripeedom on Tuesday afternoon, forcing the pilgrims to wait for eight hours for the darsan.The pilgrims suffered severe hardships owing to lack of basic facilities, especially medicated drinking water at Valiyanadapandal and on the trekking path between Marakoottam and Saramkuthi in the afternoon.The aged, women and children were the worst affected due to the long wait for darsan after closure of the temple at 1 p.m. and reopening of the shrine at 3 p.m.The volunteers of the Sabarimala Ayyappa Seva Samajam, in association with the police personnel, came to the rescue of the pilgrims stranded at the Valiyanadapandal by offering medicated drinking water.The distribution of drinking water, which began at 1 p.m went on till 3 p.m., K K Moorthy, camp officer of the Samajam at Sannidhanam, said.