Essential Guidelines for a Safe and Respectful Sabarimala Pilgrimage

Important tips on booking, environmental care, offerings, and temple protocols to ensure a meaningful journey to Sabarimala.

Important Guidelines from Sabarimala

Welcome to the spiritual journey of Sabarimala—a pilgrimage filled with devotion, discipline, and deep cultural significance. To ensure your visit is smooth, safe, and respectful to the sacred traditions, please take note of the following important guidelines:

1. Virtual-Q Booking and Cancellation
   • If you have booked your pilgrimage slot through the Virtual-Q system, kindly ensure that if you need to cancel your visit for any reason, you also cancel your online booking promptly.
   • This thoughtful gesture allows another devotee the opportunity to use your slot and helps maintain smooth processing for future bookings.
2. Respect for Traditions and Environment
   • Throwing clothes or personal belongings into the Holy River Pamba is not a traditional practice and has no ritualistic basis. Kindly avoid such actions to respect the sanctity of the river.
   • As Sabarimala is located within the Periyar Tiger Reserve, stringent efforts are in place to protect the environment. The use of plastics is strictly prohibited.
   • You will receive a special blessing if you avoid carrying plastic items in your Irumudikettu (sacred bundle). Instead, use eco-friendly and traditional materials as described below.
3. Police Verification
   • All pilgrims are required to report to the police verification counter on time. This is an important step to maintain security and order during the pilgrimage.
4. Booking Charges
   • The Sabarimala temple does not charge any fees for online or spot bookings.
   • If anyone is demanding illegal fees for booking slots or darshan, please report this immediately to the Police or Travancore Devaswom Vigilance.

Instructions from the Honorable Sabarimala Devaswom Thanthri

With the guidance of the respected Devaswom Thanthri, pilgrims are advised to pack their Irumudikettu carefully, avoiding unnecessary items that may harm the environment:

• Avoid plastic covers and other non-essential items.
• The front portion of the Irumudikettu, which will be offered at the temple, should contain:
  • Dry rice
  • Ghee-filled coconut
  • Jaggery
  • Kadalipazam (a variety of banana)
  • Betel leaf
  • Arecanut
  • Kaaniponnu (fragrant rice flakes)
• Items like incense sticks, camphor, and rose water can be omitted to simplify the offerings.
• The back portion of the Irumudikettu should contain a small quantity of rice, which should also be offered at the temple.

By following these guidelines, pilgrims honor both the spiritual sanctity of Sabarimala and the ecological balance of its surroundings.

For detailed information and updates, please visit the official guidelines page: https://guide.sabarimalaonline.org/#/important-guidelines

Embark on your pilgrimage with faith, respect, and care—and may your journey to Sabarimala be blessed with peace and divine grace.