THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kozhikkanam-Uppupara-Pulmedu route is the most convenient route for Lord Ayyappa pilgrims to reach Sabarimala crossing the State border at Kumily.
Instead of travelling to Pampa via Erumeli, pilgrims can directly reach Sabarimala through this route.
From Kumily it takes only three hours to reach Uppupara from where the pilgrims start their seven-km long barefoot journey to Sabarimala.
Pilgrims can reach the holy shrine in two hours from there. However, the journey via Erumeli takes double the time to reach Pampa itself. Then, pilgrims have to trek another four-km stretch. Besides, lot of pilgrims from Pampa will come to Pulmedu as police block trekking from Pampa to Sannidhanam during heavy rush of devotees.
Usually there are no restrictions for pilgrims on this route.
Except two policemen for conducting security checking at Pulmedu, there will not be much police patrolling in the area.
The Kozhikkanam-Uppupara stretch has many hairpin curves and the road is very narrow.
Usually pilgrims from neighbouring States such as Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh park their vehicles at Vandiperiyar and reach Uppupara in jeeps or KSRTC buses. Every year, tens of thousands of pilgrims stay at Pulmedu to witness the Makarajyothi, seen at Ponnambalamedu, which is somewhat opposite to Pulmedu.
The hill top offers a clear view of the ‘Jyothi’.