Regional
Ayyappa temple opens for `Makara Vilakku' festival

Sabarimala (PTI): The Lord Ayyappa temple here was opened for the Makaravilakku festival on Sunday evening, marking the second phase of the two-month-long pilgrimage season to the hill shrine.

`Makara Jyothi,' the most auspicious occasion of the festival when pilgrims sight a 'divine light' at Ponnambalamedu, the distant hills opposite the temple, falls on Jan 14.

Meanwhile, Devaswom Minister G Sudhakaran held a review meeting with concerned officials at Pampa to evaluate the facilities being extended to Ayyappa devotees with crores of them expected to throng the temple in the coming 15 days.

Taking serious note of the shortage of `aravana' (prasadam) in the first phase, the Travancore Devaswom Board had taken necessary steps to ensure that at least 10 cans of the prasadam would be made available to each devotee.

Sudhakaran said the Devaswom had earned nearly Rs 52 crore as revenue in this season which was less by Rs 2.45 crore than last year.

He also said there was a Rs six crore shortage of revenue from `aravana' sale compared to last season.

Co-ordinated efforts by various departments has ensured cleanliness along the trekking path from Pampa to the temple complex, recently appointed Sabarimala special officer, K Jayakumar, said.

Regional

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