The Sabarimala Ayyappa temple will be opened on October 17 at 5 pm for Thulamasa pujas. Under the supervision of Temple Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru, melshanthi N Parameswaran Namboothiri will open the portals of the sanctum and light the lamps.
There will be no special pujas on the opening day.
Then on Thulam 1st (October 18) the temple will be opened at 5 am. Then Nirmalyam and regular Abhishekam will be held. At 5.30 a.m. Mahaganapathi homam will be held in the Mandapam. Neyabhishekam will start from 5.15 am. After Usha Puja at 7.30 am, the draw of new Sabarimala and Malikapuram melshanthis will be held.
Ten people have made it to the final list for the Sabarimala Melshanthi election. 8 people have been included in the Malikappuram Melshanthi list. The names of the 10 Shantis who have made it to the final list of Melashantis have been placed in the silver cup.
After performing pooja inside the shrine, will draw lots for the new Melshanti. Kritikesh Varma and Pournami G Varma who will arrive from the Panthalam Palace will draw lots for Sabarimala and Malikapuram Melshanthi.
Devotees will be given entry to Sabarimala from 17th to 22nd of this month as part of Thulamasa pujas.
Ayyappa devotees booked through virtual queue can reach for darshan. Spot booking facility has also been arranged for devotees at Nilakkal. On 22nd at 10 pm Harivarasanam will be sung and the temple portals will be closed.
The temple portals will be opened again on 24th at 5 pm for Chithira Atta. Atta Chithira is on 25th. If the grounds are closed at 10 pm on that day, then it will be opened at 5 pm on November 16 for Mandalakala maholsavam. Vrishchikam one is on November 17.
