Sabarimala opens for devotees as Chingam begins; KSRTC steps up pilgrim services
Sabarimala (Kerala): The Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple opened doors to devotees early Monday as Kerala welcomed Chingam 1, marking the beginning of the Malayalam New Year.
Hundreds of devotees arrived at the hill shrine from Sunday evening, ahead of the Malayalam New Year. The temple reopened at 5 am on Monday for darshan after the completion of evening rituals on Sunday, the final day of Karkidakam.
The evening pujas were performed by melsanthi (head priest) Prasad E D in the presence of temple tantri (chief priest) Kandararu Brahmadathan. The sacred fire was subsequently lit in the aazhi, or holy fire pit, below the Pathinettam Padi (18 sacred steps).
Temple to close on August 21
The drawing of lots to select the Sabarimala ulkazhakam, who assists the melsanthi with pujas and other rituals, was also held on Monday after the usha puja.
The temple will close at 10 pm on August 21 after the completion of the Chingam month rituals. It will reopen on August 24 for special pujas associated with Onam.
Thiruvonam, the main day of the Onam celebrations, will be observed on August 26 this year.
Devotees planning to visit Sabarimala during Chingam have been advised to reserve their darshan slots through the virtual queue website: http://www.sabarimalaonline.org.
The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation has also made additional travel arrangements from August 16 to 28 to facilitate the movement of Ayyappa devotees during the Chingam pilgrimage season.
KSRTC steps up services for pilgrims
The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation has made additional travel arrangements for Ayyappa devotees during the Chingam pilgrimage period.
Special services to and from Pamba will operate from major centres including Thiruvananthapuram, Chengannur, Pathanamthitta, Kottarakkara, Erumeli and Punalur, depending on demand.
KSRTC has also planned additional Nilakkal-Pamba chain services to manage the movement of pilgrims. The Thiruvananthapuram Central depot has arranged advance booking of buses based on passenger demand, while additional services will be introduced from nearby units if the pilgrim rush increases.
The corporation said it would monitor passenger demand and deploy more services as required.
(With PTI inputs)