Early on the morning of the Makaravilakku season, Sabarimala experienced a heavy influx of devotees as hundreds queued through the approaches to the holy shrine. Officials reported that nearly 22,000 pilgrims had reached the Sabarimala complex by dawn, with long lines extending as far as the Marakkootam walkway.
Sabarimala pilgrimage sees heavy dawn turnout
The temple reopened for the Makaravilakku festival on Tuesday evening. By Wednesday at 17:00 the total number of recorded darshan visits since reopening stood at approximately 120,256. On the first day alone 57,256 devotees completed darshan, using a mix of virtual queue allocations, spot bookings and traditional trekking routes. Authorities said 20,477 devotees used the virtual queue, 4,401 opted for spot bookings and 4,283 entered via the Pullumedu route on the opening day.
Wednesday continued to see significant crowds. The Kananapath access route registered a notable increase in footfall, and the Satham–Pullumedu corridor welcomed 4,898 visitors on that day. Over the two-day period, the Mukkuzi route handled 16,411 devotees. To manage the flow, entry through some forest paths is restricted to specific morning hours — for example, the Pullumedu route is open only from 07:00 to 12:00.
State departments and temple authorities have put in place heightened security and crowd-management measures for the Makaravilakku season. Officials emphasised coordinated action across police, forest and temple administration units to ensure smooth movement and the safety of pilgrims during peak hours.
Religious rituals at the shrine are proceeding on the customary schedule. Neyyabhishekam — the principal oil-offering ritual to Lord Ayyappa — began in the early hours and continued through two main windows, from 03:30 to 07:00 and again from 08:00 to 11:00. Devotees were able to participate in neyabhishekam until 18:00 on the day of reporting.
Authorities confirmed that Makaravilakku itself is scheduled for 14 January. Darshan will be available up to the night of 19 January until 23:00, and the temple will close its paths at 06:30 on 20 January. Pilgrims and visitors were advised to follow the instructions of on-site officials, keep to designated routes and use official booking channels where possible to avoid overcrowding.
Organisers highlighted the continued use of technology to manage demand, with the virtual queue system enabling thousands to secure time slots remotely. This system runs alongside traditional pilgrimage routes and on-site spot bookings, helping to distribute visitors across the available access points.
As the festival continues, temple authorities urged devotees to plan their visits considering the scheduled entry times for different routes, to carry necessary supplies for the trek, and to respect safety advisories. With coordinated oversight, officials said they aim to maintain orderly darshan flows while upholding ritual timings throughout the Makaravilakku season.
Key Takeaways:
- The Sabarimala pilgrimage has attracted heavy dawn crowds, with nearly 22,000 devotees present early on the morning of the report.
- Since the shrine reopened for the Makaravilakku season, over 120,000 devotees have recorded darshan; first-day figures reached 57,256.
- Multiple access routes — including virtual queues, spot bookings and traditional paths such as Pullumedu and Mukkuzi — are being used, with strong security measures in place.
- Neyyabhishekam offerings occur in morning and early-hour windows; darshan will continue through 19 January evening with the shrine closing on 20 January at 06:30.
