Devotees planning to visit Sabarimala for the annual Niraputhari rituals on August 2 and 3 have been urged to postpone their pilgrimage, with the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) issuing a safety advisory amid relentless rain, flooding and the threat of landslides in Kerala's central high ranges.

The advisory comes as heavy rainfall continues to affect Pathanamthitta district, where the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa is located. Authorities said worsening conditions in the Pamba basin and along the forested approach roads have made travel to Sabarimala unsafe.

Ranni, one of the main transit points for Sabarimala pilgrims at the foothills of the shrine, has been inundated after the Pamba river overflowed its banks. Large parts of the town remain under water, with shops, petrol filling stations and other commercial establishments submerged, disrupting access to the pilgrimage route.

With the Pamba in full spate and rain continuing across the hill districts, officials fear fresh flooding and landslides could occur without warning.

The Travancore Devaswom Board said the appeal to avoid travel had become unavoidable in view of the continuing heavy rainfall and deteriorating conditions. It urged devotees to prioritise their safety and defer their visit.

The Sabarimala temple is scheduled to open for the traditional Niraputhari ceremony, during which the season's first harvest is ceremonially offered to Lord Ayyappa.

The Board also reminded devotees that there will be other opportunities to visit the shrine later this month. The temple will reopen for the Chingam monthly poojas from August 16 to 21 and again for the Onam special poojas from August 24 to 28.

The advisory comes as Kerala continues to battle one of the season's most intense monsoon spells, with rescue teams deployed across several districts and authorities maintaining a round-the-clock vigil amid forecasts of more rain.

With IANS inputs