🛕 Lord Ayyappa (Dharma Sastha)
Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple — Timings 2026
Complete schedule of darshan, aarti, sevas, festivals and prasadam details.
⚠️Timings may change due to festivals, special rituals, or temple administration decisions. Please verify with temple authorities before your visit.
🏨
Accommodation near Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple
Comfortable stays close to the temple — starting from ₹950
Temple & Darshan Timings
Daily temple & darshan schedule — may vary on festival days
| Session | Timings | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
🛕 Temple Opening
|
2:30 AM
|
Open |
General days
|
|
🙏 Morning Darshan
|
2:30 AM – 1:00 PM (season)
|
Open |
Best before 9 AM
|
|
⏸ Afternoon Break
|
Between sessions
|
Closed |
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.
📅 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.
Aarti Timings
Daily pooja & aarti schedule
Nirmalya Darshanam
Pre-dawn first darshan — most auspicious opening of Lord Ayyappa.
Time
:
2:30 AM
Price
:
Season only
Usha Puja
Early morning worship.
Time
:
4:00 AM
Price
:
Free
Pantheeradi Puja
Midday puja.
Time
:
12:00 PM
Price
:
Free
Deeparadhana
Evening lamp ceremony — spectacular in mountain forest setting.
Time
:
6:00 PM
Price
:
Free
Athazhapuja
Night puja.
Time
:
9:00 PM
Price
:
Free
Aarthipuja
Final night ritual before closing.
Time
:
11:00 PM
Price
:
Free
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
|
Online Booking Guide
Reserve your slot in advance — skip the long queue
🌐 Book Virtual Queue on Official Portal
sabarimalaonline.org
1
Visit sabarimalaonline.org
Official portal for Virtual Queue booking. Do not use third-party agents.
2
Register with Aadhaar
Aadhaar-based registration mandatory for all pilgrims.
3
Select pilgrimage date and number of persons
Choose your darshan date carefully.
4
Confirm 41-day or 21-day Vratham (vow)
Pilgrims must observe austerities before visiting.
5
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.
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.
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.
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.
How to Reach
Nearest transport options
✈️
Nearest Airport:
Kochi Airport (160 km)
🚂
Nearest Railway:
Chengannur Railway Station (65 km)
🚌
Nearest Bus Stop:
Pampa Bus Stand (forest trek required)