Lakhs of devotees to visit the shrine during festival period
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The famous Sabarimala Ayyappa temple opened for the annual Makaravilakku festival on Tuesday evening. Melsanthi E.D. Prasad opened the temple at 5 p.m. in the presence of Tantri Mahesh Mohanaru. The Makaravilakku will be held on January 14, 2026.
Temple authorities announced that the poojas during the Makaravilakku period will begin at 3 a.m. on Wednesday. Devotees will be allowed to climb the Pathinettam Padi (18 holy steps) and have darshan after the lighting of the sacred fire at Sannidhanam.
Elaborate arrangements have been made to welcome devotees during the festival season. Pilgrims were allowed to proceed from Pampa starting at 11:30 a.m., while those arriving from Marakkoottam are being directed to the large queue shelter for segregation and accommodation.
The temple reopened after a two-day break following the end of the Mandala season. The shrine had closed at 10 p.m. on December 27, after the conclusion of the 41-day Mandala pooja period and the traditional rendering of the Harivarasanam.
Officials say spot booking is seeing heavy demand, with 2,000 slots already opened and another 2,000 to be released soon. Pilgrims will be allowed to proceed from Nilakkal depending on crowd levels, and in case of congestion at Sannidhanam, devotees will be regulated at Nilakkal.
The spot booking system has been revamped for better crowd management, with slots released only when the rush is under control. No slots are issued between 8 p.m. and midnight or during afternoon hours. Arrangements are planned so devotees can arrive by 3 p.m., complete darshan without long waits, and return smoothly.
Lakhs of devotees are expected to visit Sabarimala during the Makaravilakku festival, the most significant annual event at the temple.
The Mandala pilgrimage season ended on Saturday. Over 33 lakh pilgrims had visited the Sabarimala temple by December 26.
Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan said elaborate arrangements have been made for the Makaravilakku season, with all major departments working together to ensure proper crowd management, safety and security of pilgrims, as well as sanitation, health, and transportation.
As per the High Court directive, spot bookings have been capped at 5,000 and virtual queue bookings fixed at 70,000. Steps are being taken to control overcrowding during the season and ensure smooth, hassle-free darshan for devotees. “No pilgrim would be denied darshan,” the minister said.
Vasavan stated that priority would be given to stampede prevention measures. Police deployment will be increased at key points, including holy steps, trekking routes, and base camps. To prevent pilgrims from climbing trees or unsafe structures, special passes will be mandatory for viewing Makaravilakku from clearly designated viewpoints.
Restrictions will also be enforced on cooking by pilgrims camping within the temple premises, with food provided to them to avoid fire hazards related to cooking.
The minister said the forest department’s assistance would be sought to prepare the forest path for the Thiruvabharanam procession from Pandalam. The Ambalapuzha and Alangad teams will take part in the Erumeli Petta Thullal on January 11. The Travancore Devaswom Board has directed the Kottayam district administration to make arrangements for accommodating the teams participating in the Petta Thullal at Erumeli.
Extensive arrangements for parking
Extensive arrangements will be made for vehicle parking, with KSRTC operating special bus services to handle the heavy inflow of devotees. Vehicles coming from Tamil Nadu will be provided with parking facilities at Kumily. The Minister also announced that sanitation workers will receive a pay hike in recognition of their efforts during the festival season.
