Sabarimala’s Mandala season will begin on November 17, with the temple, Pamba and Nilakkal authorities completing preparations for the expected influx of pilgrims, according to a report by Dinamalar. A widened approach road, crowd-management arrangements and expanded public facilities are among the measures put in place before the 41-day worship period.
The temple will reopen at 5 pm on November 16 for the Mandala-period rituals. Melshanthi Prasad Namboothiri will open the sanctum, light the lamp and proceed through the 18 sacred steps to kindle the fire at the Aazhi. The newly appointed melshanthis for Sabarimala and Malikappuram will then be brought before the sanctum, where Thantri Kandararu Brahmadathan will conduct their consecration and formally install them in office.
The temple will close at 11 pm on November 16. It will reopen at 3 am on November 17, when the new Sabarimala melshanthi, Subramanian Namboothiri, will light the lamp inside the temple. This will mark the start of the Mandala season, during which rituals will continue for 41 days. Kalabhabhishekam for Lord Ayyappa is scheduled on all days.
Pilgrims will be allowed darshan from 3 am to 1 pm and again from 3 pm to 11 pm each day. The report said there will be no step pooja during the Mandala period because the 18-step area has to be closed for about one and a half hours to allow devotees to climb the steps under the regulated ritual schedule.
The number of spot-booking slots has been reduced this year, and pilgrims have been asked to make full use of online reservations. The booking arrangement is intended to regulate the flow of visitors before they reach the temple complex, although the report did not provide the revised number of available slots.
Drinking water and toilet facilities have been completed at the pilgrimage locations, while continuous annadanam has also been arranged. Barricades have been installed at the bathing areas in Pamba. The preparations are being undertaken as the region continues to receive rain, adding an operational challenge for pilgrims and agencies managing movement around the river and access routes.
A 4.5-kilometre road between Chalakayam and Pamba has been widened to 12 metres at a reported cost of Rs 14.14 crore. The improvement is expected to reduce vehicle queues as pilgrims approach Pamba. The road upgrade is one of the main infrastructure measures linked to this year’s pilgrimage arrangements.
According to Dinamalar, inspections and coordination meetings have been held in Thiruvananthapuram, Nilakkal, Pamba and the Sannidhanam. The report named Kerala Chief Minister Satheesan, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and Devaswom Minister Muralidharan among those who reviewed the preparations on multiple occasions. The temple is scheduled to open for the Mandala rituals at 3 am on November 17, with daily worship and pilgrim access continuing through the 41-day period.
