Sabarimala Pilgrimage begins: 1.36 lakh devotees seek Ayyappa’s darshan on day one

Sabarimala Pilgrimage begins: 1.36 lakh devotees seek Ayyappa’s darshan on day one

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Nov 18, 2025: On the very first day of the Sabarimala pilgrimage season, 1.36 lakh devotees had the darshan of Lord Ayyappa. The annual Mandala pilgrimage at the famous Sabarimala Ayyappa Swamy Temple in Kerala formally began on Monday.

Since Monday marked the beginning of the Sabarimala season, all traditional rituals were performed under the guidance of the chief priest. Although the temple doors were opened on Sunday evening, the 41-day Mandala pilgrimage commenced from Monday. During this period, lakhs of devotees from various states are expected to visit the shrine.

Meanwhile, in connection with the case of alleged gold theft from the gold-plated coverings of the temple’s guardian deity idols, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) removed the coverings on Monday for scientific examination. The removal was carried out at 1:15 pm in the presence of Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials and continued till 3 pm. The coverings were then shifted to another room, weighed, and samples were sent for forensic analysis.