Lord Ayyappa temple opens for monthly poojas, devotees offer

Amid coronavirus scare, the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa here opened for monthly poojas on Friday evening.

Police sources said there were very few devotees who had come for darshan.

Most of them were from neighbouring states.

Devotees were informed about the coronavirus scare following which some decided not to proceed further, while some others wanted to offer prayers at the shrine, police said.

Devotees are allowed to proceed to the sanctum sanctorum only after being checked at downhill Pampa and being convinced that they do not have any symptoms of the virus, they said.

"We are not stoping anyone," police sources said.

Some pilgrims wearing masks were also seen at the temple.

The shrine will be open till March 18.

The state government and Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the hill shrine, have urged devotees not to visit the temple in the backdrop of the COVID-19.

Sixteen people have tested positive for the virus in the state.

"The pilgrims will not be prevented from coming. But it is our appeal to them to desist from visiting the shrine due to the present circumstances," TDB president N Vasu recently said.

Poojas and other rituals will be carried out by the Melsanthi (high priest).

Devotees flock to the temple not only from Kerala but also neighbouring states and abroad.