Pathanamthitta: Sabarimala is witnessing an unrelenting surge of Ayyappa devotees as the temple reopened after the Mandala Pooja for the annual Makaravilakku festival. In just three days, from the reopening on December 30 to 6.50 pm on January 1, a total of 217,288 pilgrims reached the sacred Sannidhanam.
The temple doors were opened at 5 pm on December 30, drawing massive crowds on the very first day, with 57,256 devotees offering prayers. Pilgrims arrived through multiple channels, including 20,477 via the virtual queue system, 4,401 through spot booking, and 4,283 trekked through the traditional Pulmedu route.
The rush intensified on December 31, when 90,350 devotees thronged the hill shrine. Of these, 26,870 used the virtual queue, 7,318 opted for spot booking, and 4,898 reached the temple via Pulmedu.
The steady flow continued on New Year’s Day, with 69,682 devotees completing darshan by 6.50 pm on January 1. Authorities said the pilgrimage is progressing smoothly, with arrangements in place to manage the heavy influx as the spiritually significant Makaravilakku festival approaches.
