Sabarimala, Nov. 17 -- The annual Mandala- Makaravilakku festival began at the famed Lord Ayyappa temple here on Monday, marking the start of the 2025 pilgrimage season.
Thousands of devotees thronged the hill shrine as the Tantri performed the opening rituals and the Melshanthi unlocked the sanctum for darshan.
The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has rolled out extensive arrangements to handle the heavy influx of pilgrims expected over the next several weeks.
Security has been tightened across Sannidhanam, Pampa, and Nilackal, with police personnel, disaster management teams and medical units deployed round the clock.
Facilities including transport, drinking water points, medical aid centres and crowd-control systems have been strength...