Virtual Q Darshan Tickets Released for Sabarimala Niraputhari Mahotsavam
Sabarimala: The Travancore Devaswom Board has opened the Virtual Queue Darshan Ticket bookings for the upcoming Niraputhari Mahotsavam at Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa Swamy Temple.(sabarimalauptodate.in)
Devotees can now reserve their Virtual Queue Darshan slots through the official portal, sabarimalaonline.org, ahead of the festival.
The Virtual Queue Darshan ticket is mandatory for devotees visiting Sabarimala. Pilgrims must book their darshan slot in advance through sabarimalaonline.org and carry the Virtual Queue ticket (printed or digital) along with a valid photo ID. The ticket must be produced at the Darshan Ticket Check Point at Pampa before pilgrims are permitted to proceed to Sabarimala Sannidhanam for darshan.
The Sabarimala Sannidhanam will open at 5:00 p.m. on August 2 and remain open until 10:00 p.m. on August 3 in connection with the Niraputhari Mahotsavam. The main Niraputhari ritual will be performed on August 3 between 5:40 a.m. and 6:20 a.m., on the auspicious Uthrittathi Nakshatram in Karkidakam Rashi.
The Niraputhari Mahotsavam symbolizes the offering of newly harvested rice and paddy to Lord Ayyappa as an expression of gratitude for a prosperous harvest season. The term Niraputhari is derived from two Malayalam words—Nira, meaning "abundance" or "fullness," and Puthari, meaning "new rice."(sabarimalauptodate.in)
During the ritual, freshly harvested paddy is ceremonially offered before Lord Ayyappa, invoking blessings for agricultural prosperity, abundance, and the well-being of devotees. The blessed paddy is later distributed among devotees as prasadam.
Traditionally observed during the Malayalam month of Karkidakam, also known as the Ramayana Month, the festival is regarded as an auspicious occasion for prayer, spiritual reflection, and temple worship across Kerala.