The Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala will be opened for the Chithira Aattathirunal festival on November 2.
The devotees will be permitted to the hilltop from November 3 morning. Devotees, who were unable to visit the hill shrine despite booking a slot in the virtual queue during the monthly poojas of Thulam due to the flood situation, too will be permitted entry on the day.
In view of the COVID-19 situation, devotees who have booked slots in the queue system are required to carry the certificate of vaccination or RT-PCR test. The temple will be closed by 9 p.m after rendering Harivarasanam.
The hill shrine will reopen for the two-months long Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season beginning on November 15 . The newly selected melsanthis for the Ayyappa temple and the Malikappuram Devi temple –N. Parameswaran Namboothiri and Shambhu Namboothiri will take charge on the occasion.
The devotees, who have booked for darsan through the virtual queue system, will be permitted entry to the hill shrine from November 16 onwards.
