Sabarimala temple opened as all arrangements in place for pilgrim season

Newly selected melsanthis installed. The first set of devotees were allowed to trek up the hillock from 1 p.m. Around 14,000 police personnel will be deployed in five phases, and the entire pilgrimage zone has been placed under a strict surveillance network

Marking the beginning of the two-month annual pilgrimage season, the Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala was opened for the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku festival on Friday.

In the presence of Tantri (chief priests ) Kandararu Rajeevaru and Kandararu Brahmadathan, the outgoing melsanthi (head priest) P.N. Mahesh Namboothiri opened the sanctum sanctorum. This was followed by the opening of the Upadevata temples and transferring of the scared fire to the Aazhi.

Later in the day, the installation of newly selected melsanthis for the Ayyappa temple and the Malikappuram Devi temple — S. Arun Kumar Namboothiri and Vasudevan Namboothiri — was performed. The new melsanthis will hold charge of their respective temple for the next one year.

The first set of devotees from the neighbouring States were allowed to trek up the hillock from 1 p.m. on Friday and they reached the Valiya Nadapandal on the hill top around 2.25 p.m.. The temple is slated to officially open for the pilgrimage at 3 a.m. on Saturday.

Ahead of the temple’s opening, a final review of the preparations was conducted by a team led by Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan and Travancore Devaswom Board president P.S. Prasanth. The Minister also inaugurated the newly renovated guest houses at the Sannidhanam and Pampa.

Around 14,000 police personnel will be deployed in five phases, and the entire pilgrimage zone has been placed under a strict surveillance network. Parking facilities at Nilackal have been significantly expanded to accommodate 10,000 vehicles, with an additional provision for 700 smaller vehicles at Pampa.

K. Padmakumar, Director General of the Kerala Fire and Rescue Services, inaugurated the newly set-up fire stations at Pampa and the Sannidhanam. Temporary fire stations have been established at eight key locations, including at Erumely and Pandalam, with approximately 2,000 personnel and 500 volunteers on duty.

For fire safety and rescue operations, eight fire points have been arranged at the Sannidhanam, six at Pampa, two at Nilackal, and one at each of the other designated locations. A total of 18 scuba divers have also been deployed at nine bathing ghats, identified as dangerous, enroute to the hill temple.

To streamline operations, district fire officers have been appointed separately at Pampa and the Sannidhanam. Advanced communication systems, including a troop carrier equipped with repeaters and walkie-talkies, have been arranged for firefighting duties at Pampa and the Sannidhanam, enabling seamless coordination during the pilgrimage.

Published - November 15, 2024 06:49 pm IST