Pathanamthiita: Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple is set to open on March 22 at 5:00 pm for the annual temple festival. The ten-day festivities will officially commence on March 23 with the ceremonial hoisting of the festival flag (Kodiyettu) between 11:30 am and 12:00 pm, led by Tantri Kandararu Mahesh Mohanararu.

The core rituals, including the Utsavabali following the afternoon puja and the Sreebhoothabali after the evening Athazhapuja, will take place daily from 23 to 31 March.

Key ceremonies and processions

The traditional Pallivetta is scheduled for March 31. The procession will start from the shrine for Sharamkutthi at 8:30 pm in ritual silence, returning by 9:30 pm amidst the vibrant glow of traditional torches (theevetti) and the resonance of temple percussion.

On April 1, the festival will culminate with the Arattu (holy bath) in the Pamba River. The Arattu procession will leave the Sannidanam at 9:00 am, with the ritual bath taking place at 11:00 am. The deity will return to the shrine by 6:30 pm, followed by the Deeparadhana. The festival concludes with the lowering of the flag at 9:00 pm, and the temple will close at 10:00 pm.

Strict regulations for devotees

The Travancore Devaswom Board has issued specific guidelines to manage the festival rush:

  • Virtual queue limits: Daily darshan is restricted to 25,000 devotees via the virtual queue system, except on the Arattu day (April 1), when the limit is further reduced to 10,000.
  • Neyyabhishekam timings: The ritual of ghee offering (Neyyabhishekam) will be restricted to a narrow window between 5:30 am and 7:00 am on most days.
  • Pathinettam Padi restrictions: From the second to the eighth day of the festival, devotees will not be permitted to climb the sacred 18 steps after 9:00 am due to the Utsavabali rituals. Entry for Utsavabali darshan will resume at 12:30 pm.

Devotees are required to book their slots in advance through the official portal at www.sabarimalaonline.org.