Palakkad (Kerala): Thousands of devotees flocked to the Sabarimala temple on Sunday as the hill shrine opened for the annual Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season, which will continue until January 20, 2026. Extensive arrangements have been put in place by the Travancore Devaswom Board and the Kerala government to ensure a smooth pilgrimage.
The sanctum sanctorum was opened at 5 PM in the presence of Tantri Kandararu Mahesh Mohanaru. Melshanthi Arun Kumar Namboothiri performed the rituals, including descending the 18 sacred steps to light the Aazhi with a lamp brought from the sanctum. He later led the newly appointed Melshanthis, who arrived with their Irumudikettu, to the Sannidhanam.
According to officials, E. D. Prasad will take charge as the new Melshanthi (chief priest) of Sabarimala, while M. G. Manu will assume the role of Melshanthi at Malikappuram.
Meanwhile, devotional fervour was witnessed across Kerala. In Palakkad, thousands participated in the traditional Devaratha Sangamam, part of the Kalpathi Ratholsavam festival, where ceremonial chariots converged face-to-face at the Therumutti near the Viswanatha Swamy Temple.
In Pathanamthitta, long queues of pilgrims formed as devotees arrived for darshan.
A devotee from Odisha shared, “I’ve been coming here since 2004 and this is my 15th visit. This time, our group has 19 members. Every year, at least 500 devotees from Odisha come for Swami’s darshan. The arrangements and security are very good… Language is a bit of an issue, but everything else is facilitated.”
Another pilgrim from Trichy, Tamil Nadu, said, “It’s a nice experience. The rush is manageable. The virtual queue system introduced this year is very helpful. Devotees are reaching the temple at their allotted time.”
Authorities have capped the daily entry at 90,000 pilgrims—70,000 through online virtual queue bookings and 20,000 through spot bookings. Cancelled online slots will be reassigned for spot entry. Biscuits and medicated drinking water will be provided to those waiting in queues.
The temple will close on January 20 after darshan for the Palace representative.
