Heavy Rush of Pilgrims at Sabarimala temple

As the doors of Sabarimala temple in Kerala were opened on the 16th of November for the devotees, lots of devotees are seen to come to offer prayers to Lord Ayyappa. Reportedly, the temple will remain open for the annual Mandala-Makaravilakku Puja festival for 41 days.

As per sources, over 70,000 devotees have offered prayers at the hillshrine since the temple opened on November 16 evening for the puja. With thetemple witnessing heavy rush, devotees have complained that many of thefacilities are inadequate.

The Ayyappa shrine was opened for the annual pilgrim season on Saturday,days after the Supreme Court decided to refer to a larger bench re-examinationof religious issues including those arising out of its 2018 verdict lifting acenturies-old ban on women of menstruating age visiting the hilltop shrine.

The unprecedented floods of August last year which had damaged various facilities and the frenzied protests by right outfits and BJP workers had resulted in a severe fall in the footfalls of pilgrims and had led to dip in the temple revenue.

Women right activist Trupti Desai on Friday said that she will visit Sabarimala temple after November 20 and said, "I will go to Sabarimala after November 20. We will seek protection from the Kerala government and it is up to them to give us protection or not. Even if not provided with protection, I will visit Sabarimala for the darshan."