The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has launched an online booking facility for various offerings (vazhipadu) at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple from the Vishu festival that begins on April 14, N.Vasu, board president, has said.
Mr. Vasu said the facility would be extended to more major temples attached to the TDB in a phased manner. A board meeting on April 13 would take the final decision. Mr. Vasu said devotees could make bookings for neeranjanom, ghee lamp (nei-vilakku), ashtothara archana, swayamvara archana, navagruha nei-vilakku, and bhagavathi seva at Sabarimala from April 14 onwards. Devotees could make their bookings through the online platform onlinetdb.com and bookings had already started.
No entry for pilgrims
Though the Ayyappa temple would be opened for the Vishu festival on April 13 evening, pilgrims would not be permitted to enter the temple owing to the restrictions imposed by the government as part of the anti-COVID drive across the State. The board would also provide facility for the devotees to make online offerings to the ‘hundi’ (kaanicka) and for the feeding of devotees (annadanam) through the proposed e-kaanicka on the same portal soon.
