Sabarimala temple opens for Thulam rituals as CM Satheesan reviews pilgrimage setup
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan offered prayers at the hill shrine and chaired a high-level review to ensure seamless facilities for incoming devotees.
Keralam Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan offered prayers at the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple on Saturday evening as the hill shrine opened for the five-day monthly rituals of the Malayalam month of Thulam. Mr Satheesan also conducted a comprehensive review of state preparations and infrastructure to ensure flawless arrangements for the upcoming annual pilgrimage season beginning next month.
Accompanied by Devaswom Minister K. Muraleedharan and Tourism Minister P.C. Vishnunadh, the Chief Minister began the traditional trek from Pampa at around 3 pm and reached the Sannidhanam after 5 pm. He entered through the VIP gate to offer prayers, marking the first visit by a Chief Minister to the hill shrine since 2017. Following his prayers, Mr Satheesan chaired a review meeting in Pathanamthitta regarding on-ground logistics, crowd management protocols, and amenity upgrades along the trekking route.
Several ministers, top administrative heads, and elected representatives joined the delegation at the Sannidhanam, underlining the government's coordinated push to streamline pilgrim facilities.
| Person / Event | Role or Schedule Detail |
|---|---|
| Ritual opening window | October 17 to October 22, closing at 10 pm |
| Key ministers present | Devaswom Minister K. Muraleedharan, Tourism Minister P.C. Vishnunadh |
| Key officials present | TDB President K. Jayakumar, State Police Chief Ravada Chandrasekhar |
| Elected representatives | MLA Pazhakulam Madhu, MLA C.V. Shanthakumar |
Head priest E.D. Prasad Namboothiri opened the sanctum sanctorum on Saturday evening in the presence of Thantri Kandararu Brahmadathan. This was followed by the opening of the Upadevatha temples and the lighting of the sacred fire in the Aazhi, located below the 18 holy steps. Despite persistent heavy rainfall across the region, thousands of devotees gathered at the shrine to seek blessings. Official sources noted that this year's Thulam month rituals carry added spiritual significance as the opening coincides with Mahanavami and Vijayadashami for the first time in several decades.
What happens next at Sabarimala
The temple opens to general devotees at 5 am on Sunday. The morning will also see the selection of the new Melsanthies, or chief priests, for both the Sabarimala and Malikappuram temples through a draw of lots.
The selection process for the Sabarimala Melsanthi will take place at the Sopanam at 7.30 am following the Usha Pooja, supervised by Sabarimala Special Commissioner R. Jayakrishnan and Devaswom Commissioner B. Sunilkumar. A second draw of lots for the Malikappuram Melsanthi will follow shortly after at the Malikappuram shrine.
The Thulam month rituals will officially conclude on October 22, when the temple doors close at 10 pm after completing the scheduled monthly pujas.
Key numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Trek start time | 3:00 pm | Government officials |
| Arrival time at Sannidhanam | After 5:00 pm | Government officials |
| Melsanthi selection time | 7:30 am, Sunday | Devaswom officials |
| Temple closing time for Thulam month | 10:00 pm, October 22 | Devaswom officials |
In this story
| Name | Role in the story |
|---|---|
| Sabarimala Temple | Revered hill shrine dedicated to Lord Ayyappa. |
| V.D. Satheesan | Chief Minister who visited Sabarimala and reviewed pilgrimage arrangements. |
