PATHANAMTHITTA: The annual two-month-long Mandalam-Makaravilakku season at Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple is all set to begin on the first day of Malayalam month of Vrichikam on Thursday. For the auspicious occasion, the hill shrine will be opened on Wednesday evening by Melsanthi Sasi Nampoothiri, who completes his tenure on that day.INSTALLATION CEREMONY OF NEW MELSANTHI The installation ceremony of M Balamurali as the new Sabarimala melsanthi will be held under the leadership of Thantri Kandararu Maheswararu in front of the Sreekovil at 7 pm on Wednesday evening. As part of the ceremony, the Thantri will perform kalasabhishekam on the new melsanthi.The one-year term of the new Melsanthi will begin with the opening of the Sreekovil of the temple at 4 am on Thursday in the presence of Thantri Maheswararu. After going inside the Sanctum Sanctorum, the Thantri will pass on the “Moolamantram” of Lord Ayyappa on the ear of the Melsanthi.NEW PILGRIM FACILITIES ‘’Saranasethu”, the Army Bailey bridge built for the purpose of using as the one-way system for the pilgrims after darsan, two queue complexes and the resting place at Pandithavalam for accommodating 20,000 pilgrims will be the new facilities offered for the crores of pilgrims during the new pilgrimage season.The Army Bailey bridge, connecting Malikappuram with Chandranandan Road, set up by the Sabarimala high-powered committee on infrastructure development headed by Additional Chief Secretary K Jayakumar, will be much beneficial for the pilgrims during the peak pilgrimage season days of Mandalam and Makaravilaku season.Styled ‘Saranasethu’, the Bailey bridge could be made 100 cent useful only after the completion of new Prasadam complex proposed on the side of the bridge. If the TDB authorities set up full-fledged facilities for the distribution of the Aravana and Appam prasdams at the new prasadam distribution facilities near Malikappuram temple, the bridge could be of much use during the ensuing season.The queue complexes, one at Saramkuthi set up by the TDB and the other at Sabareepadom by the high-power committee, will be useful for the pilgrims who wait in long queues during the peak season days.The resting place at Pandithalvalam will achieve the twin benefits of preventing any stampede-like situation in the North Nada during the peak season days and protect the North Nada from environment pollution.Renovated Swami Ayyappan Road connecting Pampa with Marakoottam service road at Pampa for the purpose of emergency evacuation, renovated bathing ghat at Pampa and rubberised Chalakayam-Pampa road are the other new ones that will benefit the pilgrims. The delay in the preparation at Nilackal pilgrim transit camp and the ban on transport facilities, including KSRTC buses to Uppupara from Kunmily, are likely to adversely affect the pilgrims during the ensuing season.
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