The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) is providing an insurance cover for Sabarimala pilgrims through the National Insurance Company for a premium of Rs.22.5 lakh, V.S. Jayakumar, Sabarimala Devaswom Executive Officer, has said.
Talking to The Hindu , Mr. Jayakumar said that under the insurance cover, the family of a pilgrim who died in an accident in a 50-kilometre radius of Sabarimala during the ongoing Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrim season would receive an insurance amount of Rs.2.25 lakh.
The insurance cover for transportation of the body within Kerala from the accident site had been fixed at Rs.30,000 and that for outside the State at Rs.50,000.
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Mr. Jayakumar said online booking for various vazhipadu (offering) at the Ayyappa temple and the Malikappuram Devi temple had started. Devotees could make the bookings through the website www.sabarimalatempletdb.
com.
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He said distribution of prasadom kits, which included Aravana, Appam, Vibhuti, sandal paste, flowers, ghee, and so on offered to the presiding deity, too had begun through special counters. Devotees could book their kits online.
Two types of kits were available. The price for the small and large kits had been fixed at Rs.160 and Rs.270, respectively, Mr. Jayakumar said.
KalabhabhishekomA Kalabhabhishekom was performed at the Ayyappa temple during the Utchapuja on Thursday.
Tantri (chief priest) Kandararu Rajeevararu, assisted by Melsanthi (head priest) E.N. Krishnadas Namboodiri, performed the ritual.