Sabarimala Pilgrimage Revenue Crosses Rs 200 Crore, Shrine To Close With Mandala Pooja Today

The Mandala pooja marked the end of the 41-day-long first leg of the annual pilgrim season and the shrine will reopen on December 30

Sources from the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) mentioned that the Makaravilakku ritual at the Sabarimala hill shrine is slated for January 15.

Thousands of pilgrims offered prayers at the renowned Lord Ayyappa temple, where the auspicious Mandala pooja took place on Wednesday afternoon. The Mandala pooja signified the conclusion of the 41-day-long initial phase of the annual pilgrimage season. As of Tuesday, the revenue collection at Sabarimala exceeded Rs 200 crore. 

The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), the paramount temple organization that oversees the Lord Ayyappa shrine on Tuesday said that the temple has garnered Rs 204.30 crore as revenue in the preceding 39 days until December 25.

The famed Lord Ayyappa temple is witnessing an unprecedented influx of devotees on Wednesday morning due to the auspicious Mandala pooja at the hill shrine. Pilgrims, bearing the sacred bundle of "irumudikettu" on their heads and reciting "swamiye saranam Ayyappa" mantras, have formed extensive queues at the Sannidhanam within the temple complex. Devotees eagerly awaited the Mandala pooja, which signifies the culmination of the initial leg of the two-month-long annual pilgrimage at the Lord Ayyappa temple.

A ceremonial procession, bearing the sacred Thanka Anki (golden attire) of Lord Ayyappa, arrived at the hill shrine the previous evening.

As per temple management sources, the pooja is scheduled to take place after adorning the 'anki' on the idol of Lord Ayyappa, the primary deity.

The rituals and poojas are set to occur between 10:30 am and 11:30 am, concluding with the closure of the shrine by 11:00 pm. It will reopen for the Makaravilakku rituals on December 30.

Sources from the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) mentioned that the Makaravilakku ritual at the Sabarimala hill shrine is slated for January 15.

The Congress and BJP members alleged ‘mismanagement’ of devotees in the famed temple. Tamil Nadu BJP chief Annamalai said, “Devotees of Swami Iyyapa from TN and other parts of our country visit Sabarimala every year but haven't faced the kind of unpreparedness as this year. The Communist Kerala Government is caught napping and has pushed the devotees to extreme hardships with zero crowd management & has let the devotees to stand in queues for hours without food or water. “ 

“The Communist Kerala Government should immediately ensure that basic amenities are ensured for the devotees, and the crowd is managed efficiently to ensure that they endure no further hardship. We wish to remind TN CM Thiru @mkstalin that most devotees stranded in the crowd belong to TN, and we request you to insist on your counterpart for their safety,” he said.

Devotees of Swami Iyyapa from TN and other parts of our country visit Sabarimala every year but haven't faced the kind of unpreparedness as this year.

The Communist Kerala Government is caught napping and has pushed the devotees to extreme hardships with zero crowd management &…

— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) December 26, 2023