Published Nov 15, 2026 | 12:01 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 15, 2026 | 12:01 PM
Outgoing Melshanthi E D Prasad Namboothiri will open the temple in the presence of Tantri Kandararu Brahmadathan.
Synopsis: The Sabarimala temple in Keralam’s Pathanamthitta district will open at 5 pm on 16 November, marking the beginning of the 2026-27 Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season. The temple will close after the Mandala Pooja on 27 December. The Travancore Devaswom Board has introduced a free pilgrim insurance scheme with the LIC, offering compensation of ₹2 lakh in the event of a pilgrim’s death.
The Sabarimala temple in Keralam’s Pathanamthitta district will open at 5 pm on Monday, 16 November, marking the beginning of the 2026-27 Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season. Outgoing Melshanthi E D Prasad Namboothiri will open the temple in the presence of Tantri Kandararu Brahmadathan.
The newly appointed Melshanthis, Subrahmanyan Sankaran Namboothiri and A Damodaran Namboothiri, will assume charge before the temple reopens for devotees at 3 am on 17 November, the first day of the Malayalam month of Vrischikam.
The temple will close after the Mandala Pooja on 27 December and reopen on 30 December for the Makaravilakku festival. The Makaravilakku is scheduled for 14 January.
The Travancore Devaswom Board has introduced a pilgrim insurance scheme in collaboration with the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), offering compensation of ₹2 lakh in the event of a pilgrim’s death. The scheme covers devotees who register through the Virtual Queue and Spot Booking systems.
The insurance coverage extends over three days, beginning a day before the pilgrim’s arrival at Sannidhanam. It covers accidental deaths on the first day and both accidental and natural deaths, including deaths due to heart attacks, on the following two days.
Pilgrims will not have to pay for the insurance. The Board will bear the annual premium of ₹1.5 crore.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
