Many of India’s temple tragedies have been attributed to poor crowd management on the part of the local authorities. INN Live picked 20 important temples where these incidents have not been heard of. Our bureaus checked these places of worship for their preparedness, but we have featured only 10 of them here. Temples such as Akshardham (Ahmedabad), Sreenathji, Nathdwara (Rajasthan), Vaidyanath (Deoghar, Jharkhand), Ramantha Swamy, Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu), Srikrishna, Udupi (Karnataka), Sri Ranganathaswamy, Srirangam (Tamil Nadu) and Kalighat Kali (Kolkata) appear to have their effective crowd management apparatus in place.
Experts are of the opinion that the temples have to make sure that the infrastructure (roads, corridors, open spaces, entrances and exits) is suitable for the mass gathering. It should be checked if there is enough capacity and there are no bottlenecks.
Besides, a good crowd management plan, which includes monitoring, scheduling and control, must be followed. The preparedness, according to experts, must include good contingency plans (e.g. evacuation) in case anything goes wrong. They advise to make use of modern technology to be able to take action in case the event does not unfold according to plan. God willing.
Golden Temple, Amritsar
The foundation of the Golden Temple (Darbar Sahib) was laid by Guru Arjan Dev on January 3, 1589 along with Saint Mian Mir, a Muslim holy man. By 1601, the Golden Temple was ready. In 1603-04, the first volume of Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh scripture, was prepared and was installed at Darbar Sahib on August 16, 1604.
The building of Akal Takht Sahib was twice demolished—once by the Afghan armies and then it was very badly damaged during Operation Bluestar in June 1984. However, the government repaired it in September 1984. The present structure has been constructed by five service groups.
FOOTFALLS: Nearly 1.10 lakh pilgrims visit the Golden Temple daily. On weekends, the number increases to 1.5-2 lakh. The peak season is for nine months between March 1 and November 30, and then the last week of December and first week of January.
CROWD MANAGEMENT: The temple is managed by a team of 200 sevadars and eight parkarma in-charges. A total of 200 CCTV cameras are used for surveillance through a control room that operates round the clock. To manage the security of the temple, there is a manager and an additional secretary. The affairs of the Golden
Temple, however, are run by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC). As the sanctorum is surrounded by sarovar, there is only one way to get in and out. The sevadars control the crowd and at one time, only few are allowed to go in, and when they are back, others are allowed. So there is no rush at any time.
There are seven Niwas Asthans (inns) which provide lodging facilities for pilgrims, maintained by the temple authorities. The reception counters work round the clock to attend to the devotees. There is an inn for NRIs and foreign tourists which has 66 rooms. In toto, there are 600 rooms for boarding and lodging in the temple, besides langar (community kitchen). On festivals and special days, over one lakh devotees partake of the langar.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
The temple that dates back to 1760 has witnessed attempts in the Mughal period to destroy it. However, it somehow survived and Rani Ahilya Bai of Indore got it renovated.
The religious city of Varanasi which is thronged by lakhs of devotees is perhaps among a few places that have so far not recorded a stampede or any such man-made disaster, except a few bloody attempts by terrorists to blow the Kashi Vishwanath Temple up. Located on the banks of the Ganga, the temple houses the Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva.
FOOTFALLS: On an average, one lakh devotees visit the temple—that has two gold-plated domes and efforts are on to cover the third dome with the yellow metal—every day throughout the year. “On an average we get more than Rs 1 lakh of donation every day,” said P N Diwedi, deputy CEO of the Kashi Vishwanath Mandir Trust.
CROWD MANAGEMENT: A total of 120 devotees exit immediately after the darshan every minute and the trust volunteers who man the temple don’t allow the devotees to crowd even for a second. According to the temple management, pilgrims have to form a serpentine queue through narrow lanes to reach the temple and this is thebiggest advantage which does not allow overcrowding in and around the temple. The temple trust has of late started showing live the aarti on the TV channels for those who are not able to attend the rituals physically. “We are going to soon start the live aarti show on mobiles also,” says Diwedi.
SECURITY MEASURES: Since the temple is on the hit-list of terrorists, the Uttar Pradesh government and the temple trust have made the tightest security arrangements to foil any nefarious designs against the temple.
More than 1,000 police jawans and paramilitary forces are deployed 24 hours who keep a strict vigil on the shrine. The district administration does regular reviews of the security arrangements. The devotees are frisked at least four times till they reach the sanctum sanctorum. They have to pass through the metal detectors and the CCTVs dotting the temple campus.
Kamakhya Temple, Guwahati
The temple is situated on the top of the Nilachal Hill at about 800 feet above the sea level. Apart from the main devi temple, the temple complex also comprises some other major temples of Devi Kali, Tara, Bagala, Chinnamasta, Bhuvanesvari, Bhairavi and Dhumavati.
SAFETY MEASURES: There are 98 CCTV cameras to keep a strict vigil of the Kamakhya temple premises and its nearby areas during the Ambubachi mela. A total of 1,400 police personnel and NCC volunteers are deployed around Kamakhya for the festival. There are only 22 police personnel, armed and unarmed, along with 54 private security persons keeping vigil at the temple.
Somnath Temple, Gujarat
The temple is mentioned in the Shiva Purana as one of the 12 Jyotirlingams. The shrine was renovated in the 11th century. Severely damaged after Islamic invasions, the temple was rebuilt in 1950.
FOOTFALLS: About 70 to 80 lakh devotees visit annually. During Kartik Poornima, a huge fair is held. This apart, Shivratri in February, the month of Shravan and Diwali holidays see huge inflow of devotees. Average annual collection from devotees is nearly Rs 15 crore.
CROWD CONTROL: The temple has a large approach area that is unpopulated and a large forecourt which enable easy inflow of crowd inside. From the approach area itself, visitors are made to queue up with separate lines for men and women. There are separate exits. A Deputy Superintendent of Police enforces security measures on the premises. Temple trust also has its own security team. Various yagnas and other programmes are organised at different sites on the temple premises to ensure that the crowds are not concentrated in one place. A large TV screen is placed in temple precincts so visitors can attend live darshan. The temple has a very effective public announcement system. Senior executives and supervisors of the trust monitor the temple so there is no inconvenience; there are wheelchairs, golf carts and lift for senior citizens and physically-challenged.
Akshardham temple, Delhi
The marvellous combination of pink sandstone and white marble spread over 100 acres on the banks of the river Yamuna gives a magnificent look to the 141 ft high and 316 ft wide main monument. The building was inspired and developed by Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the spiritual head of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, whose 3,000 volunteers helped 7,000 artisans construct Akshardham.
The temple, which attracts approximately 70 per cent of all tourists who visit Delhi, was built according to the Vastu Shastra and Pancharatra Shastra. The whole monument, opened in 2005, rises on the shoulders of 148 huge elephants with 11-feet tall panchdhatu statue of Swaminarayan presiding over the structure. The temple, named after a belief in Swaminarayan Hinduism, has drawn inspiration for its architecture from the historic temples of Badrinath (Uttarakhand), Somnath (Gujarat) and Konark (Odisha). It is the second Akshardham complex in the country after the one at Gandhinagar in Gujarat. On December 17, 2007, the temple was presented the Guinness World Record for being the World’s Largest Comprehensive Hindu Temple.
FOOTFALLS: Over 10,000 visitors throng Akshardham Temple everyday.
CROWD MANAGEMENT: Besides a robust queue system on the temple premises, there are innumerable CCTV cameras that keep constant vigil on the visitors. The temple’s private security guards and 850 volunteers work on a daily basis to manage crowds at the complex. According to the management, the temple makes great use of technology to facilitate darshan. On entry into the temple complex, aged and physically-challenged visitors may get wheelchair. Cameras, video cameras, mobile phones or any electronic items are not allowed inside the complex.
The management does safety audits of the temple time to time. Old gadgets are replaced with modern equipment. Temperature control and fire alarm systems are installed in the complex so that any problem gets noticed immediately. After a fire incident in 2009, the Delhi Fire Department appreciated the temple management saying that they have ‘impressive’ safety and security mechanism and also the mandatory fire safety clearance.
Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya, Bihar
In the sixth century BC, Prince Siddhartha Gautama attained supreme enlightenment at this holy place and became the Buddha. In commemoration of this event, Emperor Asoka set up the Vajrasana (Diamond Throne) of polished sandstone representing the seat of enlightenment in third century BC.
Thereafter, he built a stupa in veneration of the Buddha which remained there up to the second century AD.
The original structure of Mahabodhi Mahavihara temple was completed in seventh century AD during the reign of Gupta kings. The Mahabodhi Mahavihara was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in the year 2002. This is the most sacred place of Buddhist pilgrimage in the world.
FOOTFALLS: Every year, Bodh Gaya plays host to 4-5 lakh pilgrims. About 70 per cent of them visit during the winter months (December to January). The temple’s income, mainly through donations of devotees across the world, was over Rs 6.29 crore in 2012-13.
CROWD MANAGEMENT: Initially, private security was hired to maintain smooth flow of crowd into the temple. But after the blast this year, the security has been handed over to CISF personnel. There are many temples in Bodh Gaya, so the crowd is evenly distributed. A number of CCTVs were installed at different points inside and outside the temple.
Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh
The presiding deity is Lord Venkateswara. Devotees perform pujas on Saturdays, share some amount and keep it in the mudupu (a yellow cloth).
They reach the hill shrine within a year and offer the mudupu in the God’s hundi, which is a practice since 12th century. Lord Venkateswara is also known as the god who generously bestows wealth.
FOOTFALLS: On an average, 83,674 visit the temple every day. The annual volume of devotees crosses three crore. The most important days on which the pilgrim influx is at its peak are the nine-day Brahmotsavam, known as ‘Salakatla brahmotsavam’, which ended on October 13 this year. On Vaikunta Ekadasi, nearly two lakh devotees throng the temple. Just to ensure that all devotees have a glimpse of the deity, the Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanams (TTD) also celebrates ‘Dwadasi’. Another rush time is after the Makara Jyothi when lakhs of Ayyappa devotees reach Tirumala after darshan at Sabarimala in Kerala. Average hundi collection is `90 crore a day and last year hundi collection crossed Rs 600 crore.
CROWD MANAGEMENT: Systematic crowd control management is in practice. Recently, the administration widened the four streets around the temple where processions during Brahmotsavams are held. Security staff and officers are deployed to manage the crowd. All queues and complexes are manned by TTD Vigilance and Security. The queues are monitored by an IAS and an IPS officer. All ways leading to Tirumala are monitored by them. Based on the number of pilgrims, the vigilance department deploys staff to the Central Reception Office, pathways and roads to maintain traffic and queues. Also, devotees are informed about the position and the expected time of darshan, through public address system. The temple is under surveillance with 2,000 CCTV cameras.
Guruvayur Srikrishna Temple, Kerala
The Krishna idol worshipped here is said to be more than 500 years old. But there are no historical records to establish it. According to legend, the temple is the creation of Guru (the preceptor of the Gods) and Vayu (the God of winds).
Within the temple there are also the images of Ganapathy, Lord Ayyappa and Edathedattu Kavil Bhagavathy. Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple.
FOOTFALLS: The vacation time of April and May, and November 15 to January 15 (Sabarimala season) are the peak seasons. Annually, an average of 50 lakh pilgrims visit the temple. The collection from devotees is Rs 130 crore per annum.
CROWD MANAGEMENT: There is queue system in place from the eastern entry, and 160 security personnel are deployed at the temple. For each puja, entries are restricted to the sanctum sanctorum. There are 70 cameras inside the Naalambalam and 22 have been installed outside. At a state-level meeting convened by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, it was decided that the devaswom employees would provide security cover inside the Naalambalam and outside it will be provided by the police.
Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Shirdi, Maharashtra
Shirdi Sai Baba Temple that was built over the samadhi of Shri Sai Baba in 1922 is located in Shirdi village in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.
Revered by followers of all religions, Sai Baba, who lived and preached in Shirdi and surrounding regions during the late 19th and early 20th century, took samadhi on October 15, 1918.
FOOTFALLS: Around 60,000 people visit the temple everyday and the number goes up to about one lakh on weekends. During special festivals, at least two to three lakh devotees visit the famous shrine.
CROWD MANAGEMENT: Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, the governing and administrative body of the temple and all other temples on the premise, has installed a state-of-the-art CCTV camera network, fortified with face recognition software to keep crooks at bay. And the `5-crore system has already been yielding results. About 730 private security guards are deployed. The state government has 50 policemen and a bomb detection and disposal squad on standby at the temple. The Maharashtra government has a `400 crore plan to change the face of Shirdi and turn it into a world-class pilgrimage plus tourist spot. The 95th death anniversary functions of Sai Baba were conducted from October 12 to 14. To ensure that everybody gets opportunity for darshan, VIP passes, aarti passes and other puja arrangements were stopped for these three days which saw a footfall of two million devotees.
Vaishno Devi Temple, Jammu and Kashmir
A visit to Mata Vaishno Devi is considered one of the holiest pilgrimages of our times.
Popular the world over as the mother who fulfills whatever her children wish for, the goddess resides in a holy cave located in the folds of the three-peaked mountain named Trikuta (pronounced Trikoot).
FOOTFALLS: The holy cave attracts millions of devotees every year. In fact, the number of devotees visiting the shrine now exceeds one crore annually. The holy cave is situated at an altitude of 5,200 ft. The devotees have to undertake a trek of nearly 12 km from the base camp at Katra for darshan.
CROWD MEASUREMENT AND SAFETY MEASURES: In order to regulate the yatra and strengthen security in the area, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has made elaborate arrangements including deployment of sufficient troops of the local police as well as paramilitary forces. Regular patrolling of the track, monitoring, vigilance and necessary action with regard to suspicious elements are part of the security drill. The security staff of the shrine board is utilised for regulation of the yatra and adds to general area vigilance. In addition, X-Ray baggage inspection systems and door frame metal detectors have been provided to ensure foolproof security of the pilgrims and the shrine.
CCTVs are installed at all vital locations. The services of the local police can be availed of through police stations/police posts at Katra, Banganga, Adkuwari, Sanjichatt and at Bhawan. There are senior officers of the rank of Superintendent of Police who are available at Katra and Bhawan. In addition, officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police or above of the paramilitary forces are also available at both Katra and Bhawan.
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