The first phase of the Sabarimala temple's annual pilgrimage will conclude today with the 'Mandala Pooja' ceremony. It will be performed between noon and 12.30 pm today by Sabarimala head priest Kandararu Bhrahmadathan. After the puja and the following 'neyyabhishekam' ceremony, the temple will close at 1 am. Meanwhile, the Travancore Devaswom Board plans to launch Lord Ayyappa's golden lockets in weights of 2, 4, 6, and 8 grams. Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan will launch them on January 14 as part of the 'Makaravilakku' festival. 
The 'solar eclipse' viral message
A viral video message has been doing the rounds on social media, claiming that the Sabarimala Temple will remain closed from 7.30 am to 11.30 am on December 26 due to a solar eclipse. However, the Devaswom Board has clarified that there is no such decision. According to the Manorama Online Fact Check team, the video is an old clip on the solar eclipse of Dec 26, 2019. 

'Makaravilakku' festival details
The Sabarimala Temple will reopen on December 30 evening for the much-awaited 'Makaravilakku' festival. Its main ritual will be held on January 14. The 'Pampa Sangamam' spiritual ceremony will be revived next year, in which pilgrims stop at the Pampa River for a prayer and sacred bath. It was discontinued in 2018 after the year's floods. The event is scheduled for 4 pm on January 12, 2025. 

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