Sabarimala readies for Mandala season as pilgrimage begins Nov 17

As the annual pilgrimage season of Sabarimala is all set to start on November 17, arrangements are on in full swing in Kerala's Ayyappa Temple to welcome lakhs of devotees from across the world.

The 41-day-long Mandala pilgrimage season will begin on Monday, the first day of the Malayalam month of Vrichikam, when the doors of the hill shrine will open on Sunday evening ahead of that.

The sanctum sanctorum of the temple will be opened in the evening, under the aegis of the current temple 'tantri' (head priest), and the 'melshanthi' (chief priest) would lead the rituals, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) sources said.

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The installation ceremony of the newly appointed 'melshanthis' of the Sabarimala and Malikappuram temples will also be held on the occasion, they said.

Preparations complete

The TDB, the temple body which manages the shrine, said all necessary arrangements and preparations have been completed at Sannidhanam, the temple complex, to welcome devotees.

Facilities have been put in place to ensure an uninterrupted supply of safe drinking water to the pilgrims who trek several kilometres to reach the temple. Installation of resting benches, drinking water kiosks, centres to distribute "chukkuvellam" (dried ginger water), and hot water were among various facilities arranged for pilgrims, TDB sources said.

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Hundreds of sanitation workers will be deployed for round-the-clock service in Sabarimala and its premises during the period.

Public hygiene measures

An array of toilets, including bio-toilets, has been set up in Sannidhanam and along the trekking paths, according to the sources, who also added that multilingual information boards placed at various locations would assist devotees flocking from different parts of the country.

Several emergency medical centres have been opened under the aegis of the Health Department at various dedicated points to treat pilgrims in case of medical emergency.

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According to authorities, strict measures are in place through the virtual queue system to regulate the number of pilgrims visiting the shrine each day. This year's annual pilgrimage season is taking place at a time when Sabarimala is at the center of a major political controversy over the loss of gold.

Former bureaucrat K Jayakumar assumed the role of the new president of the TDB on November 15.

"The Sabarimala pilgrimage should go smoothly without causing any difficulties for devotees. If there are any wrongdoings or illegal practices about the temple affairs, they should be rooted out," Jayakumar told reporters.