Sabarimala pilgrim season begins on 16 Nov 2012. Thanka Anki Ratha yatra starts on December 23 from Pandalam. The main day of the 41 day long festival is the Makarasamkranti/Makaravilakku on January 15th.

The temple opens at 0300 h and closes at 13.00 h and then opens again at 15.00 h and closes at 23.45 h during festival season. Daily Pooja : Nirmalyam (3 am), Neyyabhishekam (3.20 am to 11.30 am), Usha Puja (7.30 am), Ucha puja (12 noon), Deeparadhana (6.45 pm), Athazha pooja (11 pm), Harivarasanam (11.45 pm).

During Ucha puja, the 18 holy golden steps (Pathinettampadi) are washed.

Distance chart

Ernakulam to Pampa via Erumeli : 200 km
Thiruvananthapuram to Pampa : 180 km
Kottayam to Pampa via Thiruvalla : 123 km
Pathanamthitta to Pampa : 65 km

Telephone numbers

Kottayam Railway station : 0481-2563535 / 139 (Enquiry)
Pampa police : 04735 203386
Karimala Forest Control room (on traditional forest trekking route) : 04735 203492

Route to Sabarimala sannidhanam

1. The main route is via Pamba. From here devotees trek 5 km to the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple.

2. Travel to Vandiperiyar from Kottayam/Tamil Nadu. KSRTC Bus & private jeeps are available up to Upputhara (20 km). Trek to Sannidhanam via pullumedu.