Sabarimala Temple Opens for Mandala-Makaravilakku Festival 2024: Key Information for Devotees
Sabarimala Temple will open for Mandalakalam and Makaravilakku festival 2024: Details for Pilgrims
The Holy Sabarimala Temple, offering its sanctum to Lord Ayyappa, will welcome millions as it embarks on the journey to experience the gates open for the Mandala-Makaravilakku festival on Friday, November 15, 2024. Through the years, this has remained one of the most prestigious congregations in the religious calendar of India where Kerala and neighboring states’ devotees come together to celebrate the festival with so much fervor. This Mandala-Makaravilakku festival is a hallmark of devotion and discipline, steeped in divine excellence and spiritual significance.
The Kerala government and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) have put so much effort in the completion of this pilgrimage that it should run uninterrupted and enrichingly for the pilgrims. Here’s all-inclusive information you would want to know about this auspicious occasion.
Mandala-Makaravilakku Festival Schedule
The festival might be perceived in the two different phases, with each having their distinct rituals and significance.
Mandala Pilgrimage Phase:
This period ranges from Saturday, November 16, 2024 to Thursday, December 26, 2024. This time is ornated by the sacred “thanka anki,” or golden ornaments taken from the Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple, the date of great sanctity and gaiety.
Makaravilakku Festival Period
The second period is from 30 December, 2024 till 20 January 2025. The prime function of the festival, Makaravilakku day will be on 15 January, 2025 wherein thousands of devotees will arrive to witness the divine event. These six weeks of festival are happening only because continuous prayers, chanting, and rituals bring the whole pilgrimage as a spiritual evolution.
Temple Timings and Entry Guidelines
The working hours of the temple have been extended to fit in for the heavy rush of the pilgrims:
Morning Session-3 am to 1 pm
Evening Session-3 pm to 11 pm
The devotees are allowed to trek from the Pampa base camp to the Sannidhanam or the hill shrine from 1:00 pm on every day. Entry is strictly regulated by TDB to ward off any kind of mishap and ensure an easy passage of pilgrims.
Entry Systems: Virtual Queue and Spot Booking
The TDB has also brought in a dual entry system to rationize the crowd influx.
Virtual Queue System:Pilgrims can advance their booking time slots online through a virtual queue system.70,000 slots in one day.Reportedly, all November slots are booked as the season is peak.
Spot Booking System: There are 10,000 more slots available in one day considering the benefit for those pilgrims without digital connectivity. The panchayat offices and Vazhipadu centers are facilities provided for spot booking at Pampa, Erumeli, and Vandiperiyar. Spot booking is possible only by providing an identity card like Aadhaar or voter ID.
Kerala High Court has also issued directions to TDB for clearly defining guidelines in dealing with pilgrims who reach without prior registration. In this way, there has to be balancing between flexibility and order.
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Transportation and Safety Measures
The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation was also calling in extra buses to meet all the requirements of the travelers during holidays. The security measure was taken seriously as dealt with, though specially ensured all the passengers were seated and hence comfortable during the time.
Nilackal Base Camp with a vehicle accommodation capacity of 10,000 More facility arrangements have also been made in Pampa area for parking of vehicles during peak days. So all attempts were made by arranging an open space at Pampa to hold its journey hassle-free across the country by pilgrims.
Weather Update to Pilgrims
The India Meteorological Department has installed three rain gauges around Sabarimala for the first time with the Mandala-Makaravilakku festival. These instruments will provide localized three-day weather forecasts, which will help pilgrims in their journey better.
Similar to other services designated for the Amarnath Yatra and Char Dham Pilgrimage, this will also certainly improve safety and preparation to great extents when the weather becomes strangely unpredictable.
It has not only been an event of religion but a deep spiritual journey for millions. The temple witnessed the world’s largest pilgrimage last year as well, in which more than five million devotees made a pilgrimage to the temple.
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This year, the festival is sure to prove much more enriching with upgraded facilities and good weather forecasts besides an organized entry system. The logistic barriers interfering with the spiritual journey of the pilgrims will no longer bother them.
Practical Advice for the Pilgrims
Health Preparations: A trek to Sabarimala demands physical stamina. The pilgrims are encouraged to carry out basic health checks and make a habit of walking long distances even before going for the journey.
Carry Essentials: Some of the necessary requirements that ought to be carried along during comfortable pilgrimage are warm clothes, a raincoat, and a first aid kit.
Follow Guidelines: All the guidelines related to temple rules and safety measures that are given by the authorities need to be followed strictly.
The Sabarimala Pilgrimage embodies religion, control, and worship. This Sabarimala Pilgrimage provides devotees with the opportunity to connect to the divine as well as to themselves. And hence, at this precipice when the festival Mandala-Makaravilakku of 2024 is approaching, the devotees are fully ready to bask in the spiritually enriching experience that is bound to inspire and bless them.
May the blessings of Lord Ayyappa lead all pilgrims through this safe and spiritually uplifting journey!