The Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, one of South India’s most revered pilgrimage centres, will open Sunday at 5 p.m. for the Mandala-Makaravilakku festival season, marking the beginning of the Kartika month.

With lakhs of devotees preparing for the annual pilgrimage, authorities have put in place strict crowd-management measures, digital booking systems, and enhanced security arrangements.

The Mandala puja season begins November 17, during which the hill shrine will remain open for nearly 18 hours a day to accommodate the heavy influx of devotees. The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has said the temple may remain open even beyond the scheduled closing hours on days that witness unusually large crowds.

The Mandala puja will be held December 27, followed by the Makaravilakku festival January 1

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