The revered Sabarimala temple, dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, opens its doors on Friday evening, November 15, 2024, marking the beginning of the annual Mandala-Makaravilakku festival. This pilgrimage season, with millions flocking from Kerala and surrounding states, is a time of deep spiritual significance for devotees.

Mandala-Makaravilakku festival

As reported by Asianet, devotees can begin the ascent from Pampa to Sannidhanam from 1 pm on Friday, while the temple is set to open for the season at 4 pm. The Mandala pilgrimage will officially begin on November 16 and will be extended until December 26, as the newly appointed Melshantis (high priests) assume their duties.

The journey will culminate in a special ritual where the deity is adorned with “thanka anki” (golden ornaments) from the Aranmula Parthasarathy temple.

During the Mandala season, darshan hours will be between 03:00 – 13:00 and 15:00 – 23:00. Following this, the second phase, the Makaravilakku festival, will begin on December 30 and end on January 20, 2025.

Makaravilakku day on January 15 is the main event of the season, attracting pilgrims from all over the country.

Preparations at Sabarimala

Kerala police has assured devotees of hassle-free and safe darshan arrangements throughout the entire pilgrimage season. After reviewing the preparations, state police chief Sheikh Darvesh Sahib confirmed that comprehensive measures have been taken to facilitate the pilgrimage experience, especially at key locations such as Pampa, Sannidhanam and Nilakkal, as reported by PTI.

Sahib emphasized that the police see their role in Sabarimala as service to humanity.

Addressing critical concerns, he outlined strategies for tracking missing persons, preventing pickpocketing and mobile theft, and disrupting the sale of psychotropic substances. Traffic management has been improved and unauthorized parking along main roads will be strictly prohibited. Special food and lodging facilities were arranged for serving police officers.

The police department, in a public notice, asked all devotees to follow the guidelines issued by the authorities to ensure a safe and peaceful pilgrimage season.