Lord Ayyappa temple opens for monthly poojas sans devotees

Hindu devotees wait in queues inside the premises of the Sabarimala temple in Pathanamthitta district in the southern state of Kerala, India, October 18, 2018. Credit: Reuters Photo

The famous Lord Ayyappa temple here opened on Sunday on the eve of the monthly five-day poojas for the Malayalam month of Chingam but the bar on the devotees' entry will continue as per Covid-19 health protocol.

The temple will remain open till August 21 and only the usual rituals will be conducted, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the hill shrine, said.

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However, devotees will not be allowed in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The TDB, in a release, also said the temple will again open for Onam poojas from August 29 to September 2.

The board has already said devotees to the shrine will have to carry Covid-19 negative certificates for darshan, when the temple opens for the over two-month-long pilgrim season from November 16.

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