Sabarimala temple's two-month-long festival season opens Friday

Sabarimala (Kerala), Nov 14 : All arrangements are in place for the new two-month-long Sabarimala temple season set to open on Friday.

The state government has finally been able to settle the number of pilgrims that will be allowed at the hilltop shrine every day. To start with, 70,000 pilgrims, who booked through the online mode, and 10,000 who do the spot booking will be allowed darshan.

The Travancore Devasom Board (TDB), which manages several temples, including Sabarimala, in the southern districts of the state, on Thursday announced that the pilgrims will be allowed entry from 1 p.m. on Friday and the changeover of the temple priests for the next one year will take place at 5 p.m when the temple opens its doors.

For the pilgrims, the darshan will start from early morning on Saturday and the festival season will officially commence.

Situated on the mountain ranges of the Western Ghats at an altitude of 914 meters above sea level, Sabarimala temple is four kilometres uphill from Pamba in the Pathanamthitta district, which is around 100 km from the state capital.

The temple, which bars the entry of women who have attained puberty, is accessible only on foot from the Pamba River. As per practice, before setting off to the holy shrine, a pilgrim normally undertakes an intense 41-day penance where he does not wear footwear, wears a black dhoti, and sticks to strict vegetarian food. Every pilgrim carries 'lrumudi', a prayer kit which contains coconuts which are broken just before climbing the 18 steps, on his head, during the pilgrimage and without it, no one is allowed to step onto the holy 18 steps at the 'Sannidhanam'.

Also this season, the TDB has decided to provide free insurance coverage for the pilgrims and through it, the kin of any pilgrim who passes away during the pilgrimage will get a sum of Rs 5 lakh and the authorities will also make arrangements for conveying the mortal remains to the pilgrim's hometown.

State police chief Sheik Darvaish Saheb on Thursday held a high-level review meeting in the temple and ensured all arrangements were ready. This season, a record close to 14,000 police officials, along with volunteers, will be on security duty and give a helping hand to the pilgrims.

The parking facility for pilgrims has now been increased to 10,000 parking slots besides there will be rate cards in various south Indian languages on display at all the restaurants in and around the temple town. The healthcare facilities in and around the temple town will also have state-of-the-art facilities for the pilgrims.