Makaravilakku in Sabarimala today; 1.5 lakh devotees expected for darshan, restrictions imposed

PATHANAMTHITTA: The purification rituals as part of the Makaravilakku festival in Sabarimala have been completed at the Sannidhanam. The temple will open at 2.45 pm today and the Makara Sankrama Pooja will be held at 3.08 pm. The devotees will be restricted at the Sannidhanam. 30,000 people will be allowed to enter the Sannidhanam through the virtual queue and 5,000 through spot booking.

At least 1.5 lakh people are expected for the Makaravilakku darshan. Devotees will not be allowed to enter from Nilakkal to Pampa from 10 am today and from Pampa to Sannidhanam from 11 am. Only those who have given passes in advance will be allowed to enter. Devotees will be allowed to enter the Sannidhanam only after Deeparadhana with the Thiruvabharanam.

The Thiruvabharanam procession will reach Sharamkuthi at 5.30 pm. It will be received at the foot of the flagpole at 6.15 pm. Tantri Kandararu Mahesh Mohanaru and Melshanthi E D Prasad Namboothiri will receive them and take them inside the sanctum sanctorum. The temple will be closed at 6.30 pm and the Thiruvabharanam will be adorned on the deity and Deepradhana will be performed. When the temple opens, the Makarajyothi will appear at Ponnambalamedu and the Makara Sankrama star will be visible in the sky.

Darshan of Lord Ayyappa adorned with Thiruvabharanam will be till January 17. Neyyabhishekam will be performed till January 18. There will be a procession from the Manimandapam to Sharamkuthi on January 18. On the night of January 19 at 10 pm, the Guruthi ritual will be held at Malikappuram. Devotees can have darshan until the temple closes on the night of January 19. The Thiruvabharanam casket will be taken back in procession on January 20. After the representative of the Pandalam royal family offers darshan, the temple will be closed.