SABARIMALA: The hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa here was opened on Wednesday for the 21-day-long Makaravilakku festival, the concluding phase of the annual pilgrimage season.
Melsanthi Sankaran Nampoothiri opened the Sreekovil of the temple at 5.30 pm in the presence of Thantri Mahesh Mohanaru.
No ritual was conducted at the Sreekovil as an ongoing practice of the temple.
Governor offers Worship
Governor Justice P Sathasivam offered worship at Lord Ayyappa temple in the evening.
The Governor, who trekked through Neelimala-Appachimedu route, was given a customary reception at Valiyanadapandal in Sannidhanam by Travancore Devaswom Board president Prayar Gopalakrishnan, Sabarimala devaswom executive officer Renugopal, assistant executive officer Sudheer and administrative officer Somasekharan Nair.
The Governor, accompanied by family members including wife, will leave the hill shrine after Niramalya darsan and Ganapathi homam, on Thursday morning.
At Pampa, the Governor was received by Devaswom Commissioner Ramaraja Prema Prasad and Devaswom public relations officer Murali Kottackakom and was accompanied up to the Sannidhanam.