Sabarimala to Open for Mandala Kalam on November 16; New Melsanthis to Take Charge, Vishnu Pooja to Be Performed on First Day
The Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa Swamy Temple and Malikappuram Devi Temple will reopen at 5 PM on November 16 for the 2026–27 Mandala Kalam pilgrimage season.
At Sabarimala, outgoing Melsanthi E.D. Prasad Namboothiri will open the sanctum sanctorum, while M.G. Manu Namboothiri, the outgoing Melsanthi of Malikappuram Devi Temple, will open the shrine there. The opening will mark the completion of their one-year tenure as chief priests of the respective temples.
Following the opening, Arimkara Subramanyan Sankaran Namboothiri will assume charge as the new Melsanthi of the Sabarimala Sree Ayyappa Temple for the 2026–27 term. A. Damodaran Namboothiri of Ayadathillam will take charge as the new Melsanthi of Malikappuram Devi Temple.
The installation ceremonies of the new Melsanthis will be held at Sannidhanam around 6.30 PM under the guidance of the Thantri.
The newly appointed Melsanthis will open the temple sanctums at 3 AM on November 17, marking the beginning of the Vrischikam month and the Mandala pilgrimage season.
As prescribed in the 2014 Deva Prasnam, Vishnu Pooja, the ancient form of worship at Sabarimala, will be performed to Lord Ayyappa on the first day of the Mandala Kalam.
Pilgrimage Route Timings
The Forest Department has prescribed specific entry and exit timings for pilgrims using the traditional Erumeli–Pampa forest route and the Sathram–Sabarimala route.
On the Erumeli–Pampa traditional route, the timings are as follows:
- Kozhikkakavu–Kalaketti: 6 AM to 5 PM.
- Azhuthakadavu–Mukkuzhi: 7 AM to 2.30 PM.
- Mukkuzhi–Pampa: 7 AM to 3 PM.
For the Sathram–Sabarimala route, the timings are:
- Sathram–Sabarimala: 7 AM to 1 PM.
- Sabarimala–Sathram: 8 AM to 11 AM.
- Vallakkadavu–Sathram: 5.30 AM to 10 AM.
Darshan and Prasadam Arrangements
The daily pilgrim limit for darshan during the Mandala season has been fixed at 80,000. Of these, 66,000 slots will be available through the Virtual Queue system.
Devotees can book their darshan slots online through the Virtual Queue portal. Spot booking facilities will also be available at Pampa.
Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) President K. Jayakumar said that 50 lakh tins of Aravana would be ready by November 17, the first day of the Vrischikam month. Adequate stocks of Appam will also be maintained. He assured pilgrims that there would be no shortage of either prasadam during the pilgrimage season.
Preparations by various government departments for the pilgrimage season have largely been completed following review meetings chaired by the Chief Minister in Thiruvananthapuram and at Pampa.