Sabarimala (Kerala), Dec. 30 -- The Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple reopened on Tuesday evening for the Makara Vilakku pilgrimage season, following a brief closure after the conclusion of the Mandala puja.
The temple doors were opened at 5 pm, marking the beginning of the second phase of the annual pilgrimage. Devotees who had reached Pamba earlier in the day were allowed to proceed towards the hill shrine in a phased manner under strict crowd-control measures.
Authorities arranged the regulated movement of pilgrims through the trekking routes, and Darshan through the Pathinettam Padi (18 sacred steps) was permitted based on seniority and availability of booking slots.
To avoid overcrowding, the spot booking system has been revised, with ...