Sabarimala temple to be opened on Nov 5; security tightened
Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 3: The Lord Ayyappa temple here will be opened on November 5 for the one-day festival of 'Chithira Attavisesham,' the birth anniversary celebration of Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, the head of Travancore royal family.
Melsanthi Unnikrishnan Nampoothiri will open the sreekovil at 5 pm on November 5 in the presence of thantri Kandararu Rajeevaru.
As
an
ongoing
practice,
no
ritual
will
be
performed
at
the
sreekovil
in
the
evening.
Kalabhabhishekam
will
be
the
special
ritual
to
be
performed
at
the
temple
as
part
of
the
'Chithira
Attavisesham
festival.
The
thantri
will
perform
brahmakalasa
pooja
at
the
mandapam
in
the
presence
of
melsanthi
Unnikrishnan
Nampoothiri
at
10.30
am.
Section 144 to be imposed
Prohibitory orders will come into force from Saturday night till Tuesday at the foothills of Sannidhanam, Pamba, Nilakkal and Elavunkal to prevent any untoward incidents, ahead of the opening of Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala for a day's pooja on November 5.
Sabarimala will be under heavy security cover from Saturday night in the backdrop of the violent protests witnessed in October against the entry of young women in the 10-50 age group.
Prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC banning assembly of four or more people would be clamped at Pamba, Nilackal and Illuvangal, according to the police.