India / Sabarimala Temple reopens for 5-day monthly prayers, devotees not allowed

Pathanamthitta: The famous Lord Ayyappa temple in Kerala’s Sabarimala is holding the five-day monthly pooja (prayers) from Monday. The temple had reopened on Sunday, on the eve of the pooja in the Malayalam month of Chingam.

According to Covid-19 protocol, the bar on the entry of devotees will continue. The temple will close on August 21 evening after monthly puja.

The Travancore Dewasom Board (TDB), which runs 1000-odd temples in south Kerala, had decided to open all shrines under its control from August 17, Malayalam New Year Day, except Sabarimala.

The TDB felt that if Sabarimala temple is opened there will be a steady stream of devotees from neighboring states and it will affect the measures to control Covid-19 so it deferred its decision on the hill temple. Earlier it planned ‘darshan’ for devotees who made online booking after furnishing Covid-free certificates but excess inquiries forced the TDB to defer that service too.

Though the central government had eased restrictions on religious places in May in many temples, churches and mosques deferred opening in view of big spurt in virus cases in June first week. Some churches and mosques were opened on special occasions but temples remained closed.

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

The board’s president N Vasu had earlier said that the annual festival pilgrimage season for Sabarimala starts from November 16.

“This is an event which has been going on for decades. The government, as well as the Travancore Devaswam board, is eager to see that the event takes place this year also but with limitations and restrictions,” he had said.

The TDB has already asked the devotees to carry Covid-19 negative certificates for darshan during the over two month-long pilgrim season.