Pathanamthitta: Marking the starting of Mandala pilgrimage season, the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple is scheduled to open on Sunday evening.
Melsanthi the Chief priest of the temple, A K Sudheer Namboothiri will open the sanctum sanctorum at 5 p.m and light the lamps in the presence of Thantri Kandararu Rajeevaru.
There will also not be special pooja when the newly elected Melsanthi V K Jayaraj Potty and Malikkapuram Melsanthi M N Rajkumar will be officially initiated in the post at the temple in the evening.
On Monday, the first day of Vrischikam (Malayalam month) these new chief priests will assume charge and lead the rituals at the temples.
Also read: Sabarimala: No entry for pilgrims via traditional forest pathway
Following the Deeparadhana, the present chief priests of Sabarimala A K Sudheer Namboothiri and Malikappuram M S Parameswaran Namboothiri will descent the hill to retire from the post on Sunday evening.
The Devotees who had booked tickets through the virtual queue will be allowed to visit the hill shrine from Monday for darshan.
The Mandala festival is from 16th November to 26th December. The temple will open on December 30 for Makara Vilakku Season. The Makara Vilakku is on January 14, 2021.
