Adhering to Covid-19 protocol, devotees witness Makaravilakku at Sabarimala

Unlike the usual scenes of lakhs of people thronging the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala for the 'Makaravilakku' festival, this time only around 5,000 pilgrims were there owing to the Covid-19 restriction.

By around 6:45 pm on Thursday, Malakaravilakku, a lamp lit on the forest areas at Ponnambalamedu on the mountain surrounding the hill shrine, appeared thrice. Pilgrims chanted "Swami Saranam" as the lamp was lit.

'Thiruvabharanam' (sacred ornaments) brought from Pandalam Palace, where Ayyappa was believed to have lived earlier, were adorned on the idol of presiding deity Lord Ayyappa by evening and the 'deeparadana' was performed by around 6:40 pm.

Temple officials said that it could be for the first time in recent history that the hill shrine was witnessing a low number devotees on Makaravilakku day. Last year over two lakh pilgrims were present on the Makaravillaku day.

Devotees were not being allowed to stay back at the temple premises during the entire two-month-long Sabarimala pilgrimage season, which will end by January 20. Initially, only 1,000 pilgrims were allowed daily at the hill shrine to ensure Covid protocol was being followed. But later it was increased to 5,000 with a Kerala High Court order. Even then the number of pilgrims on most days was around 4,000 only. Revenue from the temple also fell drastically from Rs 200 crore during the last pilgrimage to Rs 15 core this time.