The crowded Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple on the eve of the Makaravilakku ceremony  (File photo | EPS)
Keralam

Over 1.5 lakh devotees expected for Makaravilakku darshan at Sabarimala

The TDB president appealed to each devotee to be careful in the hill shrine to avoid man-made accidents.

Express News Service

PATHANAMTHITTA: The Sabarimala temple is all set for the Makaravilakku festival with an expected pilgrim inflow of over 1.5 lakh people waiting to glimpse the celestial light, Makarajyothi. Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president P S Prashanth said all preparations for this year’s Makaravilakku festival have been completed.

On Monday morning, the TDB president, Sabarimala chief police coordinator S Sreejith, special commissioner R Jayakrishnan, Sannidhanam special officer V Ajith, and TDB members carried out a final inspection and reviewed the arrangements for the festival.

Massive safety arrangements

In view of the safety of the devotees, a complete barricading with adequate lighting, and enhanced security by the police, rapid action force, forest department, and other government agencies have been set up in the area. The TDB president appealed to each devotee to be careful in the hill shrine to avoid man-made accidents.

He said it is better for children and elderly women not to choose January 14 for darshan. Thiruvabharanam darshan will be available from January 15 to 17, he said. The inflow of devotees has been confined to 50,000 to the Sannidhanam through virtual queue booking.

Visas a 'sovereign' matter, says MEA as Tharoor alleges 115 Bharat Summit speakers barred

At least 26 killed as minibus collides head-on with container truck near Kaziranga National Park in Assam

What IAF's Gajraj landing at Nyoma, the border with China, means

Microsoft restores parts of India, APAC infrastructure after global service disruption

'Proof against Modi on my phone': Rahul alleges PM tapping device, renews debate call