Sabarimala’s Lord Ayyappa temple reopens for five day monthly prayers with entry restrictions on devotees.

By Line: Vinayak Heliwal

The famous Lord Ayyappa Temple in Kerela’s Sabarimala is holding the five day monthly prayers starting from today. The shrine reopened on Sunday on the eve of pooja in the Malayalam month of Chingam.

According to the Covid-19 protocol, the priests will worship Lord Ayyappa as per the rituals but there will be restrictions on the entry of the devotees. The temple will close by August 21 evening after monthly puja. The decision has been taken by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which is in charge of the management of the Lord Ayyappa Temple.

The Travancore Dewasom board (TDB) managing more than 1000 temples in South Kerela had decided to open all temples from today i. e Malayalam New Year Day except Sabrimala. The TDB feels if the Sabrimala shrine is opened there can be a huge crowd of devotees coming from neighboring states that can affect the steps in controlling COVID -19 so it decided not to open the temple for devotees now.

The TDB said that the temple will again open for Onam Poojas from August 29 to September 2. The board’s president N Vasu had also said that the annual festival pilgrimage season for Sabrimala starts from November 16
Besides, The TDB board had strictly mentioned that devotees who want to visit the temple will have to carry COVID 19 negative certificate report for darshan once the temple reopens for the Pilgrim season starting from November 16.