- विज्ञापन -
Sabarimala: The long-awaited festival season at the renowned Sabarimala temple commenced early Saturday morning, attracting a large number of pilgrims eager to seek darshan of Lord Ayyappa.
The temple’s doors opened at 3 a.m., officiated by Arun Nampoothiri, the newly appointed chief priest for the next year. This opening day has seen the maximum limit of 70,000 pilgrims who pre-booked their visits online. An additional 10,000 pilgrims will be permitted daily for spot bookings at the base of the temple.
The temple operates with specific timings: open from 3 a.m. to 1 p.m. and then again from 3 p.m. until 11 p.m. Many pilgrims began arriving from Friday evening, queuing according to their scheduled darshan times.
Officials from the Travancore Devasom Board (TDB), which oversees multiple temples in the region, have been present in the temple town for several days. On Saturday, State Devasoms Minister V. N. Vasavan will lead a review meeting at the hillside shrine.
Perched in the Western Ghats at 914 meters above sea level, Sabarimala temple is located about four kilometers from Pamba in Pathanamthitta district, which lies around 100 km from the state capital. The temple imposes restrictions on the entry of women who have reached puberty and is accessible solely on foot from the Pamba River. Traditionally, pilgrims undertake a rigorous 41-day penance before visiting, including going barefoot, wearing black dhotis, and adhering to a strict vegetarian diet. Each pilgrim carries an ‘Irumudi’ on their heads, a prayer kit containing coconuts that must be broken before ascending the 18 sacred steps, which is a vital part of the pilgrimage.
In a supportive move, the TDB has introduced free insurance coverage for pilgrims, ensuring that families of any deceased pilgrim will receive Rs 5 lakh, along with arrangements for transporting remains back home.
This season, a record number of approximately 14,000 police personnel and volunteers are deployed for security and assistance. Parking facilities have also expanded to accommodate 10,000 vehicles, alongside restaurant signage displaying rates in various South Indian languages. Healthcare provisions in the area will include modern facilities for the pilgrims.
The current festival season will last until late December, after which the temple will close for a brief period before reopening in the third week of January. In recent years, the temple has opened for certain days at the beginning of each Malayalam month, whereas historically, it was only accessible for two months starting in November.
