The Sabarimala temple opens today for the Painkuni Uthram festival, marking the beginning of a ten-day celebration filled with sacred rituals and traditional processions. The Melshanthi (chief priest) will open the sanctum sanctorum at 5 pm, lighting the sacred lamp to initiate the festivities. The official inauguration, scheduled for tomorrow at 9:45 am, will be conducted by Thantri Kandararu Rajeevaru, his son Kandararu Brahmadatthan, and Melshanthi S. Arun Kumar Namboothiri. The temple will host a series of rituals, including Kalasabhishekam, Ucha Pooja, Mulayideel, Deeparadhana, Padi Pooja, Sreebhootabali, and Vilakkinezhunnellath, ensuring a deeply spiritual experience for devotees. Each day, the temple will open at 5 am and close at 10 pm after the Athazha pooja.
The Aarattu procession, a key highlight, will commence on April 11. Following the Usha Pooja and Arattubali at 7:30 am, the procession will leave for Pampa at 9 am. After the ceremonial purification at Pampa, the deity will be taken to the Pampa Ganapathi temple before returning to the Sannidhanam in the evening. The festival also coincides with Vishu, celebrated on April 14, and the Meda month pujas, which conclude on April 18. To accommodate pilgrims, darshan bookings can be made via a virtual queue or spot booking at Pampa.
A new darshan system has been introduced to streamline the devotee experience. During non-peak hours, pilgrims can directly offer prayers near the flagpole, while during peak hours, they will be guided through a flyover to manage the rush efficiently. This revision follows issues observed in previous pujas when direct darshan caused overcrowding. To ensure smooth crowd control, additional police personnel, led by a special officer, have been deployed at Sannidhanam, Pampa, and Nilakkal. With these enhanced arrangements, devotees can expect a more organized and spiritually fulfilling visit to Sabarimala during the festival.
