Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 16 (IANS) The Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, one of South India’s most revered pilgrimage centres, will open on Sunday at 5 p.m. for the Mandala-Makaravilakku festival season, marking the beginning of the Kartika month.

With lakhs of devotees preparing for the annual pilgrimage, authorities have put in place strict crowd-management measures, digital booking systems, and enhanced security arrangements.

The Mandala puja season begins on November 17, during which the hill shrine will remain open for nearly 18 hours a day to accommodate the heavy influx of devotees. The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has said the temple may remain open even beyond the scheduled closing hours on days that witness unusually large crowds.

The Mandala puja will be held on December 27, followed by the Makaravilakku festival on January 14.

Online reservation for Sabarimala ‘darshan’ began on November 1, and by December 1, more than 22 lakh devotees had booked their slots. With the online quota fully reserved, the TDB has allowed an additional 20,000 pilgrims per day through spot booking. These spot reservations can be made at designated counters in Pampa, Nilakkal, Erumeli, Vandiperiyar, Chathram, and Chengannur.

In view of the massive turnout expected this year, the Devaswom Board has imposed specific restrictions for devotees. Mobile phones are strictly prohibited at the Sannidhanam, particularly on the “Pathinettam Padi (the sacred 18 steps)” and inside the inner sanctum. Photography and videography inside the temple premises have also been banned.

Parking arrangements have been expanded, with facilities at Nilakkal and Erumeli now able to accommodate nearly 14,000 vehicles at a time.

During monthly puja days, small vehicles were previously permitted to park at Hilltop and currently, a combined capacity of 2,000 vehicles is allowed. Security has been significantly tightened, with 18,741 police personnel being deployed across the pilgrimage route. Traffic restrictions will be in force on December 27 during the Mandala pooja, and the road leading to Pampa will be temporarily closed. It will reopen on December 30 for the Makaravilakku festival.

To support the influx of pilgrims, the Tamil Nadu government has arranged special bus services from Sunday till January 16. Southern Railway has also scheduled additional special trains to handle the festive rush to the hill shrine.

With the temple opening, the annual pilgrimage that attracts millions of Ayyappa devotees from across the country has formally begun, marking one of the most significant spiritual seasons in the region.

–IANS

aal/dpb