<p>Sabarimala (Kerala): Forest officials on Sunday caught a king cobra from the premises of the famed Lord Ayyappa Temple here, which has been witnessing a heavy rush ahead of the upcoming Makaravilakku festival.</p><p>The reptile was caught from a nearby "bhasmakulam' at Sannidhanam (temple complex) in the morning by specially trained snake rescuers of the forest department.</p><p>It was for the first time that a "rajavembala" (king cobra) was being caught from the shrine premises, according to an official statement.</p>.8,000 km walk to Sabarimala by two Kerala devotees for world peace.<p>Surveillance was already intensified in the area after the presence of a snake was reported on the temple premises recently and the king cobra was found amidst this, it said.</p><p>The snake was released into the dense forest after being brought down to Pampa, the base camp.</p><p>Earlier, a king cobra had been caught in Pamba.</p>.<p>The Forest Department has intensified its surveillance at Sannidhanam and its premises ahead of the Makaravilakku festival on January 14.</p><p>As many as 243 snakes have been caught so far from Sannidhanam and Marakkoottam during the ongoing pilgrimage season since November 15, 2024, department sources added.</p>
<p>Sabarimala (Kerala): Forest officials on Sunday caught a king cobra from the premises of the famed Lord Ayyappa Temple here, which has been witnessing a heavy rush ahead of the upcoming Makaravilakku festival.</p><p>The reptile was caught from a nearby "bhasmakulam' at Sannidhanam (temple complex) in the morning by specially trained snake rescuers of the forest department.</p><p>It was for the first time that a "rajavembala" (king cobra) was being caught from the shrine premises, according to an official statement.</p>.8,000 km walk to Sabarimala by two Kerala devotees for world peace.<p>Surveillance was already intensified in the area after the presence of a snake was reported on the temple premises recently and the king cobra was found amidst this, it said.</p><p>The snake was released into the dense forest after being brought down to Pampa, the base camp.</p><p>Earlier, a king cobra had been caught in Pamba.</p>.<p>The Forest Department has intensified its surveillance at Sannidhanam and its premises ahead of the Makaravilakku festival on January 14.</p><p>As many as 243 snakes have been caught so far from Sannidhanam and Marakkoottam during the ongoing pilgrimage season since November 15, 2024, department sources added.</p>