THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: This Vishu day, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) will launch the sale of Ayyappa lockets at the Sabarimala temple. The coin-shaped gold lockets featuring an image of Lord Ayyappa will be blessed at the sanctum sanctorum of the temple before sale.
The board has been receiving many enquiries from devotees for the lockets, which will be available in 2g, 6g and 8g weights. “The online booking facility was launched recently and we have received 14 bookings until Friday,”
TDB president P S Prasanth told TNIE. The 2g locket is priced at Rs 19,300, with the 4g piece available for Rs 38,600 and 8g for Rs 77,200.
The lockets can be booked online (www.sabarimalaonline.org) or through the administrative officer at the temple. The board has received 10 bookings for the 2 gm locket and four bookings for the 4 gm locket. The lockets booked online can be collected from the temple.
“For long, devotees have been demanding blessed lockets. We are getting a lot of enquiries, which is encouraging. In the initial phase, most devotees seem to prefer over-the-counter booking at the temple,” Prasanth said.
A new queue arrangement has been made for darshan at the temple this Vishu season. Under this, pilgrims who climb the Holy Steps need not take the overpass. Instead, they can enter the temple through the main entrance, from near the kodimaram and bali kallu. There will be two queues, on either side of the offering box.