No rooms for solo pilgrims visiting Raghavendra Swamy Mutt in Mantralayam

Single travelers arriving at the mutt without prior reservation face significant challenges in securing a place to stay.

Devotees undertaking solo pilgrimage to the Sri Raghavendra Swamy Mutt in Mantralayam, in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, are barred from availing accommodation in the vicinity, including those at the Karnataka State Choultry.

Single travelers arriving at the mutt without prior reservation face significant challenges in securing a place to stay.

Sachin Rai, who arrived on April 7 morning after traveling nearly 370 km from Bengaluru to seek darshan of Raghavendra Swamy, experienced firsthand the difficulties faced by solo pilgrims. His requests for a room were rejected by several establishments. Mr. Rai was somewhat fortunate to get temporary access to washroom facilities at the Karnataka State Choultry before his visit to the mutt. He noted that many devotees, who are unaware of this norm, are forced to sleep outdoors before the darshan.

A spokesperson for the mutt told The Hindu, “This restriction has been in effect for some time. The mutt’s official website states: ‘No room will be allotted under any circumstances for a single person. Such reservations would be deemed cancelled and the amount is non-refundable’.”

The spokesperson emphasised that thiks rule is being strictly enforced to prevent any untoward incident. The mutt manages around 1,100 rooms, none of which accommodate solo travelers.

He revealed that, in the recent past, the mutt faced pressure from local police following instances of missing persons and death by suicide by solo travellers. The police had advised the mutt to collect more identification documents from such visitors. However, many devotees felt offended when asked for detailed verification. To avoid such complications, the mutt decided to completely disallow accommodation for solo visitors.

Even private lodges in the area have followed suit, reportedly due to similar concerns.