Sabarimala temple doors open from today, temple will remain open for 18 hours, all security arrangements

Pathanamthitta: Sabarimala temple of India is very famous all over the world. Its devotees also eagerly wait to visit the temple. In such a situation, the wait of the devotees is now coming to an end. Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala will be opened today. Devotees will be allowed to climb the hill from 1 pm onwards.

Also, darshan will be allowed from 3 am today i.e. Saturday. With the beginning of the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season, the Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala is all set to open its doors to devotees. The outgoing Melasanthi (chief priest) P. N. Mahesh Namboothiri has opened the sanctum sanctorum of the temple at 5 pm last Friday.

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The temple will be open for 18 hours

Virtual lines from today will allow 70,000 pilgrims to secure entry slots each day, while an additional 10,000 slots will be available this time only through on-the-spot booking at the counters at Pampa, Erumeli and Vadiperiyar. From today the temple will be kept open 18 hours every day.

All arrangements for easy and safe darshan

Kerala Police had said on Thursday that all arrangements have been made to ensure smooth and safe darshan for the devotees during the Sabarimala pilgrimage starting from November 16. After reviewing the preparations for the Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage in Pampa, state police chief Sheikh Darvesh Sahib had said that all measures have been taken for the smooth journey of the devotees.

Sahib held discussions with officials at Pampa, Sannidhanam and Nilakkal and said that the primary responsibility of the police is to help the devotees have a smooth and safe darshan experience at Sannidhanam. The police chief had said, “The role of the police during the Sabarimala pilgrimage is not just to fulfill the duty, but to serve humanity.”

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Along with this, the Revenue Department has opened emergency operation centers in Sannidhanam, Nilakkal and Pampa. These centers will deploy 299 personnel here, including a duty magistrate and executive magistrate at Sannidhanam, 144 staff at Pampa and 160 staff at Nilakkal.

Meanwhile, an 'Edathavalam' (stopover point) has been set up at the international airport in Kochi for pilgrims traveling to Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple by air. State Industries and Law Minister P Rajeev had inaugurated this facility last Thursday. The minister said the government has ensured all necessary facilities to provide a smooth and convenient pilgrimage experience to the devotees.