On the occasion of Makara Vilakku, thousands of devotees are eagerly awaiting the sight of Makara Jyothi at Ponnambalamedu today (Jan 14). The fervent prayers and celebrations at Sabarimala mark an important spiritual moment for pilgrims.
Pathanamthitta: The highly anticipated Sabarimala Makara Vilakku festival is set to take place today, with devotees offering prayers in great numbers. The sacred Thiruvabharanam procession, carrying the ornaments for the Ayyappa idol, will be received at Saramkuthy in the evening under the leadership of the Devaswom Executive Officer.
By 6:30 PM, the Thiruvabharanam will be adorned on the Ayyappa idol, followed by the Maha Deeparadhana ritual. After the Deeparadhana, the Makara Jyothi will be visible from the eastern Ponambalamedu hill. Parnashalas (temporary shelters) are filled at all locations where the Makara Jyothi can be viewed.
For the past two days, pilgrims who have already completed their darshan have remained on the hill, awaiting the Makara Vilakku. Security arrangements have been heightened, with 5,000 police personnel deployed across Sabarimala, Nilakkal, Pampa, and nearby areas. Entry to Sabarimala will be restricted to pilgrims until noon today.
Sabarimala is gearing up for the grand Makara Vilakku festival, with an estimated two lakh devotees expected to witness the event. Parnashalas at all locations offering a view of the Makara Jyothi are already fully occupied. Many pilgrims who arrived in the last two days have chosen to remain at the hill, eagerly awaiting the divine sighting of the Makara Jyothi.
The sacred Thiruvabharanam procession, which travels entirely through the forest route, will be ceremoniously received at Saramkuthy at 5:30 PM under the leadership of the Devaswom Executive Officer. At 6:30 PM, the ornaments will be adorned on the Ayyappa idol, followed by the Maha Deeparadhana ritual. After the Deeparadhana, the Makara Jyothi will be visible from the eastern Ponambalamedu hill, marking the spiritual culmination of the festival.
All arrangements for this year’s Makara Vilakku festival have been completed, announced Travancore Devaswom Board President P.S. Prashanth during a press conference at the Devaswom Board Conference Hall in Sannidhanam. The final round of inspections was carried out under the leadership of the Devaswom Board President, Sabarimala Chief Police Coordinator S. Sreejith, Sabarimala Special Commissioner R. Jayakrishnan, Sannidhanam Special Officer V. Ajith, and Devaswom Board members.
For the safety of devotees camping at Sannidhanam and other locations offering a view of the Makara Jyothi, extensive security measures have been implemented. These include barricades, lighting arrangements, and the deployment of police, forest department officials, Rapid Action Force, and other government teams.
Devotees returning to Pamba after witnessing the Makara Vilakku are urged to strictly adhere to police instructions to ensure safety and prevent accidents, said Travancore Devaswom Board President P.S. Prashanth. Around 1.5 lakh devotees are expected at Sannidhanam for the Makara Vilakku darshan. The president also advised families with children and women to avoid visiting on January 14 and instead choose alternative dates between January 15 and 17 when the Thiruvabharanam darshan will be available.
Devotees are requested to avoid overcrowding during the return journey. To facilitate smooth travel, the KSRTC has arranged approximately 800 buses at Pamba, including around 150 shuttle service buses.
The Travancore Devaswom Board is providing free meals three times a day to devotees staying at Sannidhanam and surrounding areas for the Makara Vilakku darshan. In addition to the meals, efforts are being made to provide easy access to bottled water and light snacks such as biscuits at designated points.
Police have strictly instructed that devotees should not cook food in crowded areas. As a result, the Devaswom Board is taking responsibility for delivering food directly to the devotees to ensure their safety and convenience.
Due to the arrival of the Thiruvabharana Ghoshayatra, devotees will not be allowed to travel from Pamba to Sannidhanam after 12 PM on January 14. For those returning after the Makara Vilakku darshan, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has arranged approximately 800 buses, with 150 buses operating shuttle services.
The Thiruvabharana Ghoshayatra will be welcomed in Saramkuthy at 5:30 PM by the Executive Officer of Sabarimala, B. Murari Babu, along with his team. At 6:30 PM, the procession will be officially received at Kodimaram by the Devaswom Minister, V. S. Vasavan, Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious Endowments Minister P. K. Sekhar Babu, and other officials, including the Devaswom Board President and members.