Divine Rush: Begin of Lord Ayyappa's Annual Pilgrimage

Thousands of devotees gathered at the Lord Ayyappa Temple to mark the start of the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season. Devotees, in traditional attire, queued for blessings as the temple gates opened with rituals. The pilgrimage draws global visitors, with daily numbers controlled by a booking system.

Early on Monday, a large number of devotees converged at the Lord Ayyappa Temple, marking the auspicious start of the Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season.

Pilgrims, clad in customary black and carrying sacred bundles, queued for hours to offer prayers. Newly appointed chief priest E D Prasad Namboothiri opened the portals amidst traditional hymns.

With a maximum of 90,000 pilgrims allowed daily, the Travancore Devaswom Board ensures crowd control through virtual queue and spot booking systems. The global pilgrimage season extends over two months.

(With inputs from agencies.)