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 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.

Ayyappa Deeksha is the most auspicious spiritual practice observed in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala during the winter season. It is widely taken in Kartika masam (October – November) as per Telugu and Kannada calendars. Kartik Shuukla padyami, the first day of Kartika masam, is the best and auspicious day to take Ayyappa Deeksha. It falls on October 19^th in 2009.

Generally, Ayyappa Deeksha duration is 41 days. It is referred as Mandala Deeksha. The Diksha begins at least 41 days before Makar Sankranthi when Makara Jyothi is appeared in Shabarimala. In 2009, Makara Sankranthi falls on January 14^th.

Some devotees also observe 81 days of Deeksha and more devotees take 116 days of Ayyappa diksha starting from Dasara day. Nowadays, some devotees also observe 21 days of Deeksha and culminate Ayyappa mala before Sankranthi. They break their Deeksha in local temples. It is suggested to confirm the dates to start Deeksha from local Brahmins or priests or Guruswami.