Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 1 (IANS) As torrential rain continued to batter Kerala’s central high ranges, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) on Saturday appealed to devotees to avoid travelling to Sabarimala during the temple’s opening for the annual Niraputhari rituals on August 2 and 3, citing flooding in the Pamba basin and the threat of landslides.
Pathanamthitta district, home to the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa, remains among the worst affected by the rains.
Ranni, the principal town on the foothills of Sabarimala and one of the main transit points for pilgrims, has been inundated after the Pamba river overflowed its banks.
Large parts of the town remain under water, with shops, petrol filling stations and commercial establishments submerged, disrupting access to the pilgrimage route.
With the Pamba in full spate and rain continuing across the hill districts, authorities fear fresh flooding and landslides could occur without warning.
The Devaswom Board said devotees should postpone their pilgrimage in the interest of safety.
The shrine is scheduled to open for the traditional Niraputhari ceremony, during which the season’s first harvest is ceremonially offered to Lord Ayyappa.
The Board pointed out that devotees would have several opportunities to visit the temple later this month.
The temple will reopen for the Chingam monthly poojas from August 16 to 21 and again for the Onam special poojas from August 24 to 28.
The Board said the appeal had become unavoidable because of the continuing heavy rainfall, flooding in the Pamba basin and the risk of landslides along the forested approach roads to Sabarimala.
The advisory comes as the State battles one of its worst monsoon spells of the season, with rescue teams deployed across several districts and authorities maintaining a round-the-clock vigil amid forecasts of more rains.
–IANS
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