IN PICS: Sabarimala witnesses heavy rush on Day 1 of annual pilgrimage season

Updated On: 17 November, 2025 02:05 PM IST | Divya Nair

Hundreds of devotees thronged the famed Lord Ayyappa Temple here early on Monday, the auspicious first day of the Malayalam month of `Vrichikam`, which marks the beginning of the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season (PICS and TEXT: PTI)

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<p>Dressed in the customary black attire and carrying the `irumudikkettu` (sacred bundle) on their heads, pilgrims from inside and outside the state queued for hours to offer prayers to Lord Ayyappa</p>

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Dressed in the customary black attire and carrying the `irumudikkettu` (sacred bundle) on their heads, pilgrims from inside and outside the state queued for hours to offer prayers to Lord Ayyappa

<p>As the newly appointed `melsanthi` (chief priest) E D Prasad Namboothiri, opened the temple portals, devotees chanted the hymns of Lord Ayyappa in unison</p>

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As the newly appointed `melsanthi` (chief priest) E D Prasad Namboothiri, opened the temple portals, devotees chanted the hymns of Lord Ayyappa in unison

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The temple was opened in the presence of `tantri` (head priest) Kantararu Mahesh Mohanaru, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) said in a statement

<p>From early morning itself, there was a heavy flow of pilgrims arriving for darshan, TDB officials said. When the temple opened at 3 am, long queues of devotees seeking darshan stretched across the `nadapandal` (walkway) and `sopanam` (sacred steps)</p>

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From early morning itself, there was a heavy flow of pilgrims arriving for darshan, TDB officials said. When the temple opened at 3 am, long queues of devotees seeking darshan stretched across the `nadapandal` (walkway) and `sopanam` (sacred steps)

<p>After the opening of the sanctum sanctorum, rituals such as Nirmalya Abhishekam, Ganapathi Homam, and Neyyabhishekam were performed. The temple will close at 1 pm, reopen again at 3 pm, and finally close for the day at 11 pm with the chanting of "harivarasanam", the lullaby of Lord Ayyappa, the TDB authorities added</p>

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After the opening of the sanctum sanctorum, rituals such as Nirmalya Abhishekam, Ganapathi Homam, and Neyyabhishekam were performed. The temple will close at 1 pm, reopen again at 3 pm, and finally close for the day at 11 pm with the chanting of "harivarasanam", the lullaby of Lord Ayyappa, the TDB authorities added

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IN PICS: Sabarimala witnesses heavy rush on Day 1 of annual pilgrimage season

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