The famous Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabrimala, worshipped by millions of devotees every year, will open for the two-month 'Mandala-Makaravilakku' festival tomorrow.
Festival poojas would start from November 16, the first day of the 'Vrichikam' month of the Malayalam calendar, after the new head priest of the temple P N Narayanan Namboothri opens the sanctum sanctorum early in the morning.
The most important temple ritual the 'ghee abhishekam' would start from that day.
The 42-day mandala festival would come to end on December 26 with the Mandala pooja. After a three-day recess, the temple would reopen on December 30 for Makaravilakku festival. The 'Makaravilakku' falls on January 14.
The temple would be closed on January 20 morning, bringing an end to the two-month pilgrimage season.
