Hundreds of devotees flocked to the iconic Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala on Monday, marking the auspicious first day of the Malayalam month ‘Vrischikam’, the commencement of the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season. This period is particularly significant as it attracts pilgrims from across India and beyond.
Devotees dressed in traditional black attire, carrying the sacred irumudikkettu, queued for hours to offer their prayers. At 3 a.m., the temple gates opened with chants of Lord Ayyappa’s hymns filling the air. The ceremony reached a spiritual zenith when the newly appointed melsanthi, E.D. Prasad Namboothiri, conducted the rituals.
The opening ceremony witnessed the presence of tantri (head priest) Kantararu Mahesh Mohanaru, alongside officials from the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), who noted that the heavy inflow of pilgrims began even before dawn. Devaswom Board Secretary P.N. Ganeswaran Potti and Sabarimala Executive Officer O.G. Biju were also key figures at the event, underscoring the joint efforts of temple authorities to facilitate the pilgrimage.
The temple authorities performed various rituals including Nirmalya Abhishekam, Ganapathi Homam, and Neyyabhishekam following the opening of the sanctum sanctorum. The temple initially closed at 1 p.m., reopened at 3 p.m., and will eventually close at 11 p.m. for the day, concluding with the chanting of “Harivarasanam”, the sacred lullaby of Lord Ayyappa.
The temple’s ceremonial opening took place the previous evening. This initiation marked the beginning of a two-month-long pilgrimage season which is expected to attract a substantial number of devotees from across the globe. The anticipated rush highlights the significance of this annual event in the religious calendar.
This year, the TDB has made provisions to manage the expected pilgrimage; they have capped the daily number of pilgrims at 90,000, with 70,000 able to book through the virtual queue system and 20,000 through spot bookings. Such measures aim to ensure safety and comfort for all devotees attending this revered temple.
As the Mandalam-Makaravilakku season progresses, it promises to be a memorable and spiritually enriching experience for all participants, reaffirming Sabarimala’s status as a significant pilgrimage destination in India.
