<p>The Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple in Kerala opened for two-month-long pilgrimage on Sunday.</p>.<p>Melshanti A K Sudheer Namboothiri opened the doors of the sanctum sanctorum and lit the lamps at 5 pm in the presence of Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru, heralding the start of the 62-day long pilgrim season.</p>.<p>Pilgrims will be allowed from Monday with strict Covid-19 norms like a negative test result certificate obtained within 24 hours prior to trekking and restricting pilgrims only through the virtual queue system.</p>.<p>Since Covid-19 negative test result issued 24 hours prior to trekking was required most pilgrims from other states would have to undergo the test after reaching Kerala.</p>.<p>Hence coronavirus test facilities were arranged at railway stations and bus stands also.</p>.<p>The health department has also made arrangements for antigen tests in various centres including all bus stands and railway stations at Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruvalla,Chengannur and Kottayam, where pilgrims arrive to proceed to the Ayyappa temple.</p>.<p>Only 1,000 pilgrims will be allowed on weekdays and 2,000 on holidays. Only on special occasions like Mandala pooja and Makaravilakku up to 5,000 pilgrims would be allowed. Normally, on every day of pilgrimage, thousands of devotees used to visit the temple.</p>.<p>According to Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the hill shrine, about 85,000 devotees will be offering prayers during this pilgrim season. During Saturdays and Sundays, 2,000 people will be allowed darshan.</p>.<p>New head priests ('melsanthi') of the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, V K Jayaraj Potti, and Malikapuram temple Rajikumar M N, took over on Sunday and were the first to climb the holy 18 steps and offer prayers. The pilgrimage will be allowed till January and the Makaravillaku till January 14.</p>.<p>Pilgrims would not be allowed to stay back at the temple premises for conducting offerings. Social distancing would also need to be maintained.</p>.<p>The pilgrims can trek only through Swami Ayyappan road. Doctors, including specialists, will be posted on a rotation basis for seven days each while all other staff will be posted on a rotation basis for 15 days from November 15 to January 19, next year.</p>.<p><em>(With PTI inputs)</em></p>
<p>The Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple in Kerala opened for two-month-long pilgrimage on Sunday.</p>.<p>Melshanti A K Sudheer Namboothiri opened the doors of the sanctum sanctorum and lit the lamps at 5 pm in the presence of Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru, heralding the start of the 62-day long pilgrim season.</p>.<p>Pilgrims will be allowed from Monday with strict Covid-19 norms like a negative test result certificate obtained within 24 hours prior to trekking and restricting pilgrims only through the virtual queue system.</p>.<p>Since Covid-19 negative test result issued 24 hours prior to trekking was required most pilgrims from other states would have to undergo the test after reaching Kerala.</p>.<p>Hence coronavirus test facilities were arranged at railway stations and bus stands also.</p>.<p>The health department has also made arrangements for antigen tests in various centres including all bus stands and railway stations at Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruvalla,Chengannur and Kottayam, where pilgrims arrive to proceed to the Ayyappa temple.</p>.<p>Only 1,000 pilgrims will be allowed on weekdays and 2,000 on holidays. Only on special occasions like Mandala pooja and Makaravilakku up to 5,000 pilgrims would be allowed. Normally, on every day of pilgrimage, thousands of devotees used to visit the temple.</p>.<p>According to Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the hill shrine, about 85,000 devotees will be offering prayers during this pilgrim season. During Saturdays and Sundays, 2,000 people will be allowed darshan.</p>.<p>New head priests ('melsanthi') of the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, V K Jayaraj Potti, and Malikapuram temple Rajikumar M N, took over on Sunday and were the first to climb the holy 18 steps and offer prayers. The pilgrimage will be allowed till January and the Makaravillaku till January 14.</p>.<p>Pilgrims would not be allowed to stay back at the temple premises for conducting offerings. Social distancing would also need to be maintained.</p>.<p>The pilgrims can trek only through Swami Ayyappan road. Doctors, including specialists, will be posted on a rotation basis for seven days each while all other staff will be posted on a rotation basis for 15 days from November 15 to January 19, next year.</p>.<p><em>(With PTI inputs)</em></p>
