Thiruvananthapuram : , Wednesday, December 8, 2008: Kantarar Mahesh Mohanaru, the tantri of the famous Sabarimala temple, expressed hope that everything will soon fall into place so that all the traditional rituals at this temple can be performed. Mohanaru stated that the Covid protocols have caused the suspension of the entire repertoire of rituals that were in vogue at the temple’s famed shrine.
“Yes, because of the protocols, it’s understandable how things must be kept under control.We hope that all the rituals will be completed over time and that we all can enjoy that moment, said Mohanaru.
The two-month-long temple season that began on November 16th will end in January’s third week.There will be a few days of rest in the last week.
It has been decided that this season, the daily limit for devotees will be 30,000.Devotees should either pre-book or get a spot booking.
Counters have been opened.
According to temple officials, over 1.5 million pilgrims have already pre-booked their temple visits.
“This time, what we have discovered is that pilgrims can have a very good ‘darshan’ of the deity,” Mohanaru said.
To make pilgrimage easier, the Kerala government issued a new directive exempting all children under 10 years from a Covid (RT-PCR) test.
However, the directive states that elders should ensure that children observe the Covid protocols.
They should wear a mask and carry a sanitizer to ensure social distancing.
The order also stipulates that elders are responsible for children’s health issues.
For those over 10, however, all must have a negative RTPCR test report from 72 hours prior to vaccination or should have received both vaccine jabs.
This temple, which is the largest earner for Travancore Devasom Board, the body that manages many temples in South Kerala districts, has had a troubled festival year.
The previous season was severely affected by Covid.This season, however, more than Rs 20 crore has been raised through the sale and offerings of ‘appom and ‘aravana(payasem),’ as the prasad.
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