The revered Sabarimala Temple in Kerala has opened its doors today at 5 pm for the Mandala Kalam pilgrimage season, attracting tens of thousands of devotees. The ceremonial lighting of the lamp at Sri Lakat will be conducted by Melshanti VN Mahesh Namboothiri, accompanied by Kantar Rajeevar and his son, Kantar Brahmadatta. Following this ritual, the Melshanti will descend the sacred 18 steps to kindle the fire at the Homakunda.
Newly appointed Melshantis, Arunkumar Namboothiri for Sannidhanam and Vasudevan Namboothiri for Malikappuram, will formally assume their roles after being ceremonially led to the revered 18th step. Arunkumar Namboothiri will conduct the Tantri Kalasabhishekam in the sanctum sanctorum, offering prayers near the Ayyappa idol. After the darshan, Vasudevan Namboothiri will assume his duties at the Malikappuram Temple. At 10 pm, the current Sannidhanam Melshanti, VN Mahesh Namboothiri, and Malikappuram Melshanti, PG Murali, will conclude their responsibilities, formally passing them on to the new priests who will reopen the shrine at 3 am the next day.
With the pilgrimage season set to continue until Mandala Puja on December 26, followed by a temporary closure and reopening for Makaravilakku on December 30, over 30,000 pilgrims have already secured bookings for darshan today. Devotees will be allowed to approach the sanctum from 1 pm.
To address safety concerns raised about expired buses, the Kerala High Court has directed that only fit vehicles be used for transporting pilgrims. Justices Anil K. Narendran and S. Muralikrishna have ordered CCTV monitoring and instructed the Transport Commissioner to ensure strict compliance from KSRTC. Emphasizing that the safety of pilgrims is paramount, the court warned of strict action against any violations, underscoring the importance of secure and reliable transport services during this sacred season.
