Sabarimala/Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has announced more relaxations for pilgrims arriving at the famous Lord Ayyappa hill shrine at Sabarimala in Pathanamthitta district.
Earlier, the authorities had issued several dos and dont's in view of the persisting threat of the pandemic disease, COVID-19.
Ayyappa devotees would now be permitted to take bath in river Pamba (Pambasnanam) and also conduct rites of paying homage to ancestors (balitharpanam).
However, a decision on allowing devotees to enter the river for bathing would be taken after examining the water level on a daily basis.
The traditional trekking route from Pamba to Neelimala, via Appachimedu and Marakotam will be opened.
Primary healthcare facilities will be made available at Neelimala and Appachimedu.
The government has also granted permission to pilgrims to stay the night at Sannidhanam.
At least 500 rooms have been prepared for the lodging of the devotees at Sannidhanam. The minister said the COVID protocol will apply.
The relaxations were finalised following a meeting of Kerala Devaswom Minister K Radhakrishnan with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Travancore Devaswom Board president K Ananthagopan said a meeting of the Disaster Management Authority will take place under the chairmanship of the Pathanamthitta district collector at 10 am on Saturday and grant official permission for the relaxations granted by the government.
The facilities for devotees for the Pambasnanan have been provided near the big bridge at Thriveni and Arattu Kadavu.
The Devaswom Board is committed to the restoration of the traditional and original aspects of the Sabarimala pilgrimage. All arrangements have been made in this regard, Ananthagopan stated.
