Pilgrim rush continues at Sabarimala

Legislative panel to meet at Pampa today

The Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala continued to witness heavy rush on Tuesday.

Pilgrims had to wait for a long time inside the iron barricades along the Saramkuthi path, Lower Tirumuttom and on the temple premises to reach the sopanam.

Padipuja performed

Tantri Kandararu Maheswararu Mohanararu, assisted by Melsanthi A.K.Sudheer Namboodiri, performed padipuja on the holy 18 steps leading to the temple after deeparadhana. Hundreds of pilgrims attended the event. Kalabhabhishekom was held prior to Utchapuja.

Meanwhile, the Legislative Committee for the Welfare of Senior Citizens will hold a meeting with the officials posted at Pampa on Wednesday to discuss the facilities to be provided for senior citizens undertaking pilgrimage. The meeting will be held at the Devaswom guest house conference hall at Pampa at 10.30 a.m..

The Sanitation Mission has started collecting plastic waste from Pampa, Nilackal, the Sannidhanam and various paths leading to Sabarimala as part of its Mission Green Sabarimala programme. The plastic collected will be handed over to the Thiruvalla-based Chris Global Traders for recycling.

Pilgrim dies

A 29-year old pilgrim, identified as Matheswaran from Anna Nagar at Namakkal in Tamil Nadu, died at Sabarimala on Tuesday. According to the police, the pilgrim was reportedly brought dead to the Government Hospital at the Sannidhanam around 6.10 p.m. The body has been sent to Pathanamthitta General Hospital for post-mortem, the police said.