Online booking for Makara Jyothi at Sabarimala opens

Important Dates for Sabarimala makara Jyothi

Date for quota of virtual Q booking for darshan is 17th October to 3rd November. Slots are available one week before the desired date.

The booking can be made on Sabarimala’s official website– sabarimalaonline.org.

The maximum of 250 people can visit the temple to offer prayers with COVID-19 negative certificates, taken no earlier than 48 hours before reaching Pamba. Rapid antigen tests were conducted at Nilackal for those who were not carrying a COVID-19 certificate.

Masks are not mandatory while trekking Vadasserikara and Erumeli routes (the other forest trails have been closed). Bathing, too, was prohibited at Pampa river.

This reopening was followed by a closing of the temple again after the ‘Hari Varasanam’ rendition on October 21

It opened once again on November 15 at 5pm for its peak pilgrimage season known as mandala kaalam during which devotees trek all the way to Sabarimala temple along mountainous forested paths and offer prayers. The pilgrimage season brings followers of Lord Ayyappa from all over India, particularly the southern states and within Kerala to the holy shrine on the hills.

Devotees follow strict traditional practices or Virutham in the days leading up to the mandala kalam pilgrimage. For the uninitiated, Virutham is the 41 days of fasting and penance observed by devotees of Lord Ayyappa, a period during which they must abstain from all kinds of physical and verbal abuses and consumption of meat and alcohol, along with a vow to celibacy. They wear saffron or black clothes and Rudraksha maala around their neck.

The temple will remain close for a short duration after the Mandala pooja gets over on December 26 and reopen on December 30 for Maharavilakku pilgrimage. The closing date for darshaan is January 19 as the Maharavilakku gets over on January 14

Here’s how to book:

• Visit the Official website sabarimalaonline.org.
• Click on the Registration link.
•  Enter key details, like photograph, name, Date of Birth, Address, Identity proof, Phone number. An OTP will be sent to your phone number.
• Enter email and password.
• Create a password and register yourself.
•  Select a desired date.
•  Click on the Sabarimala Ticket Booking submit button.