In Kerala, the two month long annual pilgrimage season of the Sabarimala temple began today on the first day of Malayalam month Vrishchikom.

Thousands of devotees thronged the hill top Ayyapa temple, with the hillocks reverberating with the loud chants of Swami Saranam.

The sanctum sanctorum of the temple was opened last evening, and the installation ceremonies of melsanthis of Sabarimala and that of Malikappuram Devi temple were held.

The authorities have made elaborate arrangements for pilgrims visiting the hill shrine.

Medical teams are in place and the KSRTC is running special buses to Pampa.

The Police have also made elaborate arrangements for crowd control. For the first time, the police have introduced virtual queue system for the devotees, who can book online for darshan at Sabarimala, on an experimental basis.

Mandalapuja, marking the culmination of the 41 day Mandalam festival will be held on the 27th of next month.

The temple, which will remain closed for the next two days, will be reopened again on December 30 for the Makaravilakku festival, which will culminate on January 20 next year.