THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday decided to allow devotees for the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage in strict adherence to Covid-19 protocol. Entry will also be permitted during the five-day pooja at the start of Malayalam month Thulam. The meeting formed a committee led by Chief Secretary Vishwas Mehta to prepare guidelines for the pilgrimage.
The report to be submitted in a few days will make recommendations on the number of people to be allowed per day and other social distancing measures. The temple will open for the mandalam-makaravilakku pilgrimage season on November 16. The meeting decided to restrict the number of devotees to maintain social distancing at the shrine, trekking path and base camp. Only those who book through the virtual queue system of Kerala Police can proceed after the Nilakkal base camp. Only a very limited number of devotees will be permitted in a day. Devotees will have to clear an antigen test for Covid-19 at the Kerala Health Department’s facility at Pampa or Nilackal.
The CM said that those above the age of 65 and children are barred from the pilgrimage. “The Health Department will examine whether devotees should be excluded from wearing masks while trekking. This is in the wake of reports that masks can be harmful during exercises and similar activities,” he said at the press conference.
Devotees will be barred from bathing in the Pampa river. They can use showers set up on the banks instead. A special arrangement will be in place for the Neyyabhishekam offering, to collect the ghee brought by devotees and distribute the blessed ghee, the chief minister said. The chief minister said devotees will not be allowed to stay at the sannidhanam.The viriveppu, customary resting facility, will not be allowed at sannidhanam. It will be allowed on a limited scale at the Nilackal base camp.