The Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala here was opened on Tuesday for the Uthram festival and the five-day monthly pooja for the Malayalam month of Meenam .
According to the Travancore Devaswom Board, Melsanthi N.Parameswaran Namboothiri opened the sanctum sanctorum of the temple under the guidance of Tanthri Mahesh Mohanararu at 5 p.m. This was followed by the opening of the various Upadevatha temples on its premises.
The flag-hoisting ceremony for the Uthram festival will be held on Wednesday morning and the temple will close after the Arat ritual on March 18 night. Pilgrims will be permitted to the temple till March 19 morning. As many as 15,000 devotees who have booked slots through the virtual queue will be allowed darshan on a daily basis. Spot booking facility for those who reach Nilackal too has been arranged.
