Pathanamthitta

Travancore Devaswom Borad (TDB) president P S Prasanth on Saturday said that the large number of devotees flocking to the Lord Ayyappa shrine here since October 17 indicates they are unaffected by the recent controversies surrounding Sabarimala.

The hill-top shrine was opened for the 'thulam' month poojas on Friday.

Prasanth said the controversies, including the Sabarimala gold issue, and the functioning of the temple "will go their separate ways".

"The large number of devotees turning up since Friday indicates that the pilgrims are unaffected by the controversies surrounding the shrine," he said.

The TDB president also said that all arrangements for President Draupadi Murmu's visit to the shrine on October 22 have been completed.

He said that the police and security personnel deployment has been increased in view of her visit and there will be restrictions on 'darshan' by devotees while the President is present at the shrine.

He said that Murmu will reach the temple by noon on October 22 and after the darshan, will rest at the guest house at Sabarimala.

"She will leave for Thiruvananthapuram the same evening," Prasanth said.

He said that after the President leaves, maximum possible number of devotees will be permitted darshan at the shrine.

Murmu will travel to the hill shrine in a four-wheel-drive vehicle of the Kerala Police.

Five four-wheel-drive vehicles of the Kerala Police will form part of the President's convoy, accompanied by an ambulance, along the 4.5-km-long Swami Ayyappan Road and traditional trekking route to Sannidhanam.

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President Murmu will arrive in Kerala on October 21 as part of a four-day visit.