Hundreds of devotees gathered at Kerala’s Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple on Monday as the shrine opened for darshan on the first day of Chingam, marking the beginning of the Malayalam New Year. Pilgrims had started reaching the hill shrine in large numbers from Sunday evening ahead of the important monthly rituals.

The temple opened for devotees at 5:00 AM on August 17. The Chingam month ceremonies will continue through August 21, after which the shrine will close at 10:00 PM. It is scheduled to reopen on August 24 for special pujas associated with the Onam festival.

The start of Chingam holds special importance in Kerala as it marks the Malayalam New Year. The opening of the Sabarimala shrine for the occasion attracted a significant number of Ayyappa devotees seeking darshan and blessings at the beginning of the new Malayalam calendar month.

On Sunday, August 16, the final day of the Malayalam month of Karkidakam, melsanthi Prasad E D performed the evening rituals in the presence of temple tantri Kandararu Brahmadathan. The sacred fire was later lit in the aazhi located below the Pathinettam Padi, the temple’s 18 sacred steps.

The selection process for the Sabarimala ulkazhakam, who assists the melsanthi in conducting pujas and other temple rituals, was also scheduled to take place on Monday after the usha puja.

The Sabarimala temple will remain open for the Chingam month rituals until Friday, August 21. After the completion of the monthly pujas, the shrine will close at 10:00 PM before reopening three days later for the Onam ceremonies.

The heavy turnout around the Malayalam New Year has placed additional focus on crowd management and pilgrim facilities. Authorities have advised devotees planning a visit during the Chingam period to arrange their darshan in advance rather than arriving without completing the required booking process.

Following the Chingam rituals, Sabarimala will reopen on Monday, August 24, for pujas connected with Onam. Thiruvonam, the most important day of Kerala’s Onam celebrations, falls on Wednesday, August 26, in 2026.

The reopening is expected to bring another wave of pilgrims to the shrine during the festive period. Onam is celebrated during the Malayalam month of Chingam, making the August temple schedule particularly important for devotees planning their pilgrimage.

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Devotees visiting Sabarimala during the Chingam period have been advised to reserve darshan slots through the temple’s virtual queue system. The arrangement is intended to streamline pilgrim entry and help manage the large number of visitors arriving at the hill shrine.

The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation has also arranged additional transport services for Sabarimala pilgrims from August 16 to August 28. Special services to and from Pamba are being operated during the Chingam and Onam puja period to support devotees travelling from different parts of Kerala. With the Malayalam New Year celebrations underway and Onam approaching, Sabarimala is set for an important festive period as devotees continue to arrive for Lord Ayyappa darshan and special rituals.