SABARIMALA: The hill shrine at Sabarimala was opened on Sunday for the two-month-long annual pilgrimage season. Melsanthi Arunkumar Nampoothiri, whose one-year term ends with the closure of the sreekovil in the evening, opened the temple at 5 pm in the presence of thantri Kandararu Mahesh Mohanaru.
The ceremony marking the installation of the new melsanthi E D Prasad Nampoothiri was performed under the leadership of the thantri at 6 pm. He will take charge as the new melsanthi for a one-year term on Monday with the opening of the sreekovil at 3 pm.
The ceremony began with conducting kalasabhishekam on the new melsanthi in front of the sreekovil by the thantri, followed by administering moolantram in the ear of the melsanthi. As part of the ongoing practice of the temple, no other ritual was performed at the sreekovil.
Travancore Devaswom Board president K Jayakumar, MLA Pramod Narayan and board members P Raju and Santhosh Kumar were present at the ceremony.
The entry of devotees was restricted by issuing a total of 39,000 virtual queue passes and another 20,000 spot passes. The Valiyanadapandal was fully-packed, with the queue extending near Saramkuthi.
Earlier at Pampa, thousands of devotees thronged Pampa Manappuram and the fly-over even before the devotees were allowed entry. From Monday, a total of 90,000 devotees, including 70, 000 online and 20,000 spot passes, will be allowed for the darshan.
For the convenience of devotees, the temple will remain open for 18 hours. As part of the measure, the shrine will function in two phases: Open at 3 am and close at 1 pm, and later open at 3 pm and close at 11 pm.
Pilgrimage should go on smoothly: TDB prez
Pathanamthitta: Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) which manages Sabarimala temple said all necessary arrangements and preparations have been completed at Sannidhanam to welcome devotees. Facilities have been made to ensure uninterrupted supply of drinking water to pilgrims who trek reach the temple.
Former bureaucrat K Jayakumar who took charge as the new president of the TDB said, “The pilgrimage should go on smoothly without any difficulties for devotees.” He was speaking to reporters ahead of trekking Sabarimala.