Sabarimala shrine opens

Pathanamthitta:The hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala was opened on Wednesday evening for the 41-day Mandalam pilgrimage season. The Mandalam pilgrimage season which starts on the first day of Vrischikam 1 of the Malayalam calendar (Friday), will conclude on Dhanu 11, which falls on December 26 this year. The temple will reopen later for the Makaravilakku poojas.

Thousands of pilgrims visited the shrine to have a darshan of Lord Ayyappa when outgoing chief priest (melshanthi) M Sukumaran Namboothiri opened the sanctum sanctorum at 5.00 pm Thursday. After that the new melshanthi, E Easwaran Namboothiri of Thuruthi Illam took charge for this year’s rites. The rites on Thursday were overseen by Tanthri Kantararu Rajeevaru. S Madhusoodanan Potti took charge as the chief priest of the adjoining Malikappuram temple.

In the particular context of increased extremist activities in various parts of the country, more police personnel than last year would be deployed at Pampa, Sannidhanan and on the trek-trail in between.

Courtesy:www.dailypioneer.com