P'THITTA: Thousands of devotees flocked to Sabarimala to offer their prayers at the hill shrine on the first day of the Malayalam month Mithunam, undeterred by heavy monsoon rains. The rainfall began as the temple opened at 5 am on Sunday, yet many devotees bravely navigated the weather to seek blessings.
Initially, darshan was facilitated directly from the temple’s flagpole to the sreekovil. However, as the crowd grew, access was redirected via a flyover to accommodate the influx of devotees. The route from Pampa to Sannidhanam also faced heavy rainfall, leading authorities to issue precautionary guidelines before allowing devotees to proceed.
In response to the rising water levels in the Pampa River, District Collector S Prem Krishnan has temporarily banned bathing at Pampa Triveni and entering the river until the rain warning is lifted. A statement from the Pamba executive magistrate reported the adverse weather conditions to district officials, noting that the Orange alert issued for Sunday and Monday, coupled with ongoing heavy rains, has significantly increased the water flow in the river.
To ensure the safety of the devotees, vehicle parking in Thriveni has also been temporarily restricted. The Travancore Devaswom Board and police have implemented a range of safety measures, including enhanced monitoring and guidance along rain-affected routes. Authorities are advising devotees to exercise caution while traversing the Pampa-Sannidhanam route, as slippery conditions have been caused by the heavy rainfall.