Marking the beginning of a two-month-long annual pilgrimage season, the doors of the Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala opened for the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku festival on Thursday. Temple chief priest Kandararu Mahesh Mohanararu opened the sanctum sanctorum in the absence of the outgoing head priest K. Jayaraman Namboothiri. This was followed by the opening of the Upadevata temples and transferring of the scared fire to the Aazhi.
Travancore Devaswom Board president P.S. Prasanth, Sabarimala Special Commissioner M. Manoj, Pathanamthitta District Collector A. Shibu etc. were present on the occasion.
