What are the opening and closing times for Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, Kerala?

Opens at 2:30 AM and closes at 11:00 PM (pilgrimage season only). Timings can change on festival days; confirm with the temple office before you travel.

When does the first puja or darshan start at Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple?

Nirmalya Darshanam is listed at 2:30 AM on this page’s schedule. Timings can shift without notice; see the note at the top of this page.

Can I visit Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple on a Sunday afternoon?

Sundays follow the same published hours as other days unless the temple posts a special notification. Afternoon often falls between morning and evening darshan; this page lists evening darshan as 3:00 PM – 11:00 PM (season). Sundays are usually busier than weekdays—arrive earlier and allow extra time for queues and security.

Is there a dress code for visiting the temple?

Mandatory black or blue clothing. Traditional pilgrimage attire required for forest journey.

Is prasada available at the temple?

Yes, prasada is available at the temple. Available items include: Aravana Payasam, Appam, Vibhuti

Is the temple accessible for people with disabilities?

Forest temple requiring challenging trek. Limited accessibility due to remote forest location and difficult terrain.

What rituals are performed daily?

Rigorous pilgrimage rituals, 41-day vratham practices, 18 steps climbing ceremony, forest meditation traditions, irumudi offering customs

Verify festival-day changes with the temple before you travel.

🛕 Lord Ayyappa (Dharma Sastha)

Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple Timings Today

Q: What are the darshan timings at Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, Kerala?

Published darshan windows on this page: morning: 2:30 AM – 1:00 PM (season), evening: 3:00 PM – 11:00 PM (season). Queues and session lengths vary by day and season.

Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, Kerala. Opens at 2:30 AM and closes at 11:00 PM (pilgrimage season only) on usual days. Darshan windows: morning: 2:30 AM – 1:00 PM (season), evening: 3:00 PM – 11:00 PM (season). Schedules may change on festival days.

Darshan, aarti, tickets & seva schedules. Full temple profile for history, travel & more.

🕒 Opens 2:30 AM 🕘 Closes 11:00 PM (pilgrimage season only) 📍 Kerala Closed

⚠️Timings may change due to festivals, special rituals, or temple administration decisions. Please verify with temple authorities before your visit.

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Accommodation near Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple

Comfortable stays close to the temple — starting from ₹950

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Divine Snapshot

Quick temple overview

Primary Deity:

Lord Ayyappa (Dharma Sastha)

Temple Category:

Ayyappa Temple

Location:

Sabarimala, Pathanamthitta, Kerala

Full Address:

Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, Sabarimala, Pathanamthitta District, Kerala 689711, India

View Temple Details 📷 View Photos View on Maps

✈️ How to reach (airport, rail, bus, travel tips) lives on the main temple page so directions are not duplicated here.

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Temple & Darshan Timings

Daily temple & darshan schedule — may vary on festival days

Session	Start time	End time	Typical status	Notes
🛕 Temple opening	2:30 AM	—	Open	General days
🙏 Morning darshan	2:30 AM	1:00 PM (season)	Open	Often busiest before mid-morning
⏸ Midday / afternoon	—	—	Closed	Between morning & evening darshan (rituals & cleaning)
🙏 Evening darshan	3:00 PM	11:00 PM (season)	Open
🔒 Temple closing	—	11:00 PM (pilgrimage season only)	Closed

ℹ️ Pathanamthitta, Kerala. Altitude 914 m inside Periyar Tiger Reserve. Open only during pilgrimage season (Mandalam Nov–Jan, Vishu April). Most visited pilgrimage site in the world — 50 million pilgrims annually. Travancore Devaswom Board manages.
📅 Open during Mandala Kalam (41 days Nov–Dec), Makaravilakku (Jan 14), Vishu (Apr). Closed rest of year. Makaravilakku night most sacred — celestial star phenomenon. Virtual Queue mandatory since 2019.

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Aarti Timings

Daily pooja & aarti schedule

Ritual / aarti	Time	Fee	Notes
Nirmalya Darshanam	2:30 AM	Season only	Pre-dawn first darshan — most auspicious opening of Lord Ayyappa.
Usha Puja	4:00 AM	Free	Early morning worship.
Pantheeradi Puja	12:00 PM	Free	Midday puja.
Deeparadhana	6:00 PM	Free	Evening lamp ceremony — spectacular in mountain forest setting.
Athazhapuja	9:00 PM	Free	Night puja.
Aarthipuja	11:00 PM	Free	Final night ritual before closing.

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Darshan Tickets

All darshan types and pricing

Darshan Type	Price	Wait Time	Booking
🆓 General Darshan Physical entry free. Virtual Queue booking mandatory from 2019. 18-step Patinettampadi climb after 5 km trek from Pampa.	Free	2–8 hours in queue	Virtual Queue mandatory (sabarimalaonline.org)
🎫 Virtual Queue Pass Book date slot before travelling. Without virtual queue pass, entry denied at base camp checkpoints.	Free	Queue as per slot	sabarimalaonline.org (mandatory)
🚁 Helicopter (Pampa to Sannidhanam) Reduces trekking to 5 km instead of 13 km from Pampa. Book early.	₹3,500 – ₹5,000 (one way)	15 min flight	KSRTC / Pawan Hans

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Online Booking Guide

Reserve your slot in advance — skip the long queue

🌐 Book Virtual Queue on Official Portal sabarimalaonline.org

Visit sabarimalaonline.org

Official portal for Virtual Queue booking. Do not use third-party agents.

Aadhaar-based registration mandatory for all pilgrims.

Select pilgrimage date and number of persons

Choose your darshan date carefully.

Confirm 41-day or 21-day Vratham (vow)

Pilgrims must observe austerities before visiting.

Download Virtual Queue ticket

Save QR code — verified at Pampa and multiple checkpoints on the way up.

📌 Accepted IDs: Aadhaar | Book at least Opens 1 month before pilgrimage season — book early ahead for weekends & festivals.

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Pujas & Sevas

Special rituals & seva offerings

Makaravilakku Special Darshan

🕐 January 14 (Makara Jyothi night)

By Virtual Queue (special slot)

Witnessing the Makara Jyothi celestial star phenomenon and golden idol procession — once-a-year event.

Abhishekam

🕐 Morning (pilgrimage season)

₹500 – ₹3,000

Sacred bath of Lord Ayyappa with panchamrit.

Udayasthamana Puja

🕐 Full day (sunrise to sunset)

₹5,000 – ₹15,000

Full-day puja — one of the most meritorious sevas.

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Major Festivals

Special occasions & celebrations

November / December

Mandala Kalam

41-day main pilgrimage season. 30–50 lakh pilgrims. Most important period for Lord Ayyappa worship.

👥 Extremely High crowd 📅 41 days

January 14

Makaravilakku

Most sacred day — Makara Jyothi (celestial star) appears + golden idol procession. 5+ lakh devotees.

👥 Extremely High crowd 📅 1 day

April

Vishu Puja

Kerala New Year — temple opens briefly. Special rituals.

👥 High crowd 📅 1 day

📅 Festival dates change yearly per the Hindu calendar. Verify exact dates before planning your visit.

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Temple Prasadam

Sacred offerings & blessed food

Aravana Payasam

₹30 – ₹120

Most iconic Sabarimala prasad — sweet rice pudding in leaf bowl. Must-have. Long queue but worth it.

Appam

₹30 – ₹100

Deep-fried sweet — traditional Ayyappa prasad from temple kitchen.

Vibhuti

Free

Sacred ash given to all pilgrims at temple gate.

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Open the main profile first; timings pages are linked when you need the schedule