Sabarimala temple to open on October 17

The Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple, situated in a dense forest in this district, will open for the monthly poojas on October 17, the Travancore Devaswom Board said on Wednesday.

The ceremony will take place at 4 pm on Friday, when chief priest Arun Kumar Namboothiri opens the temple doors and lights the ceremonial lamp in the presence of head priest Kandararu Mahesh Mohanaru, the board said in a statement.

The temple will open at 5 am for darshan on October 18, the first day of the Malayalam month of Thulam, it said.

The draw to select the melshanthies (chief priests) for the next year for the Sabarimala and Malikappuram temples will also be held that morning at the Sannidhanam (temple complex).

President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to visit the hill shrine for darshan on October 22, the concluding day of the monthly poojas, it said.

The TDB has already begun preparations to welcome President Murmu, and in view of her visit, restrictions will be in place for devotees on October 22, the statement said.

The Sree Chithira Attathirunal festival will be observed at the Sannidhanam on October 21, it added.

Sabarimala is opening for monthly poojas when a political row is raging in connection with the alleged irregularities in gold-plating in the temple.