The 41-day-long Mandala pilgrimage season at Sabarimala has concluded. Following the Mandala Pooja, the temple was closed at 10 PM with the chanting of “Harivarasanam.” The temple will reopen on December 30 at 5 PM for the Makaravilakku festival.
Makaravilakku will be observed on January 14. During the Mandala season, 32.5 lakh devotees visited the temple. The Mandala Pooja was conducted in the auspicious time between 12 noon and 12:30 PM, accompanied by chants of “Saranam Ayyappa.” The ritual included adorning the deity with the golden attire (Thanga Angi) brought from the Aranmula temple. Other associated rituals, including Kalabha Ezhunallathu, were also conducted under the leadership of the Tantri and Melshanti.
The temple will reopen on December 30 at 5 PM for the Makaravilakku festival. This year, the number of devotees has increased by nearly 5 lakh compared to previous years. A total of 5,66,571 devotees availed of spot booking for darshan.
