Sabarimala temple to open today

The hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa will open on August 5 evening for the annual Niraputhari festival, marking the beginning of the harvest season, slated to be celebrated on August 6.

Melsanthi G Balamurali would open the sreekovil at 5.30 pm in the presence of Thantri Kandararu Maheswararu.

As a practice, hardly any ritual would be conducted in the evening. Niraputhari ceremony would be held between 5.30 a m and 6.10 a m on Monday. As part of the festival, Thantri Maheswararu would distribute paddy spikes to the devotees after performing pooja inside the sreekovil.

The temple would be closed on August 6 evening after athazha pooja and Harivarasanam.