Sabarimala Ayyappa temple opens on November 16 in 2009

The famous Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala will open on November 16, 2009, for the annual two-month Yatra. Temple committee of Sabarimala is expecting that 40 million Ayyappa devotees will visit the temple during 2009 – 2010 Ayyappa deeksha. Indian Railways like Southern Railways and South Central Railways will be running special trains during the season to clear extra rush.

Tha Indian reports:

  • The health department has made arrangements for the devotees at the foothills and enroute to the temple top, including increasing the number of “oxygen parlours”. The Indian Railways has announced it will operate more coaches while the state state government will run more buses.
  • Earlier, the Devaswom (temple affairs) ministers and secretaries of south Indian states met to discuss arrangements for pilgrims coming from their states. Last year, a record 40 million devotees visited the temple. This year a 10 percent rise in the figure is expected, temple authorities said. More than 5,000 officials, including around 3,000 policemen, will be deployed in the temple town in Pathanamthitta district to oversee the daily administration of the festival season. Additional chief secretary and head of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) K. Jayakumar told IANS that all arrangements had been made for the new pilgrimage season.
  • Women who have attained puberty but not reached menopause are barred from entering the Hindu temple, dedicated to Lord Ayyappa. Sabarimala temple is situated in the Western Ghats, at an altitude of 914 meters above sea level. The temple is accessible only by foot from Pamba, the main halting point.
  • Though the temple is now open throughout the year, the peak pilgrimage season begins on the first day of the Malayalam month in November and closes on the first day of the Malayalam month in January. Some of the ardent devotees observe a 41-day penance before the pilgrimage during which they do not wear leather sandals, are attired in black dhoti and eat only vegetarian food.

Sabarimala Special Trains during 2009 – 2010

Sabarimala special trains will be run by Southern Railway from Chennai to Kollam during the Ayyappa pilgrim season during November 2009, December 2009 and January 2010. Advance reservations have been started already. Railways will be expecting thousands to lakhs of devotees will utilize this facility.

Times of India reports:

  • The Chennai Central Kollam special (0655) will leave Chennai Central at 3.15pm on Fridays from November 20 to January 15 and arrive at Kollam at 5.30am the next day.
  • The Kollam Chennai Central special (0656) will leave Kollam at 12 noon on Saturdays from November 21 to January 16 and arrive t Chennai Central at 4am the next day.
  • The Chennai Central Kollam special (0671) will leave Chennai Central at 3.15pm on Mondays from November 16 to January 18 and arrive at Kollam at 5.30am the next day.
  • The Kollam Chennai Central (0672) special will leave Kollam at 12 noon on Tuesdays from November 17 to January 19 and arrive at Chennai Central at 4am the next day.
  • The Chennai Central Kollam special (0653) will leave Chennai Central at 3.15pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from November 14 to January 16 and arrive at Kollam at 5.30am the next day.
  • The Kollam Chennai Central special (0654) will leave Kollam at 12 noon on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from November 15 to January 17 and arrive at Chennai Central at 4am the next day.

Sabarimala Ayyappa Yatra 2009 – 2010 – Hassle-free Darshan for Andhra Pradesh devotees

Sabarimala Ayyappa yatra 2009 -2010 will be a hassle-free darshan for Andhra Pradesh devotees. Sabarimala Ayyappa Bhakta Samajam has decided to start help desks at all major temples and stations throughout the state. In the past, many devotees were gone missing and some devotees died because of poor communication between Ayyappa Bhakta mandali groups.

The Hindu reports:

  • Help desks to guide devotees about road and rail connectivity and facilities available for yatra. Ayyappa devotees will be providing the required information to fellow devotees. Ayyappa devotees in twin cities can look forward for a hassle-free visit to Sabarimala this time with Sabarimala Ayyappa Seva Samajam deciding to set up help desks at important temples and stations across the State.
  • The first helpdesk will be inaugurated at Secunderabad railway station on November 13. The helpdesks will guide devotees about road and rail connectivity to Sabarimala, medical aid, food, cottages and other facilities available enroute Sabarimala. The facility will help thousands of devotees in all fronts in having darshan of Lord Ayyappa in Sabarimala. The Samajam would be organising ‘Viswa Shanti Shobha Yatra’ from NTR Stadium to Necklace Road on November 30 in which one lakh devotees will be participating, he added.
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