Devotees throng Sabarimala on the second day of pilgrimage

Days after the Supreme Court referred the Sabarimala temple case to a larger bench, the Lord Ayyappa shrine reopened today for Mandala-Makaravilakku pooja. Kandararu Mahesh Mohanararu opened the sanctum sanctorum and perform the pujas. A K Sudheer Namboodiri took charge as the Sabarimala Melsanthi and M S Parameshwaran Namboodiri as Malikapuram Melsanthi.

Sabarimala:Thousands of devotees thronged the Sabarimala shrine as the Srikovil of the temple was opened at 3 am amid tight security. The Lord Ayyappa temple reopened for the two-month long pilgrim season, with the CPI(M)-led LDF government making all preparations to make it a hassle-free pilgrimage.

Kandararu Mahesh Mohanararu on Saturday opened the sanctum sanctorum and performed the pujas. A K Sudheer Namboodiri took charge as the Sabarimala Melsanthi and M S Parameshwaran Namboodiri as Malikapuram Melsanthi.

Devotees, who were allowed to treck the hill from 2 pm, climbed the sacred 18 steps to the temple with 'irumudikettu' (sacred bag containing the offerings to the Lord) after the priests performed 'padi pooja'.

Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran offered prayers at 8 am today and held a review meeting regarding the arrangments.

He had earlier made it clear on Friday that Sabarimala was not a place for activists to display their activism and said the government would not encourage such women who want to visit the shrine for publicity.

For centuries women in the menstruating age group of 10- 50 years were barred from entering the temple. The state and temple precincts had witnessed frenzied protests by right outfits and BJP workers last year after the LDF government had decided to implement the Supreme court's verdict of September 28, 2018, allowing women of all age groups to offer prayers at the shrine.

However, this year, even though the top court has not stayed its verdict on entry of young women into the shrine while posting various petitions on the matter to a larger bench, the government was exercising caution.

The resting places for the devotees at Nilackal, Pamba and Sannidhanam has already been set up along with medical, water and toilet facilities. Over 10,000 police personnel would be posted in phases in and around the Lord Ayyappa temple for security purposes during the pilgrim season.

Read: Sabarimala temple: Doors of shrine reopen for devotees