Overview
- Outgoing chief priest Arun Kumar Namboothiri opened the sanctum on Sunday evening in the presence of tantri Kandararu Mahesh Mohanararu, and newly selected melshanthis E. D. Prasad and M. G. Manu were installed.
- Daily entry is controlled through a virtual queue capped at roughly 70,000–90,000 pilgrims plus about 20,000 spot bookings at counters in Pampa, Nilakkal, Erumeli, Vandiperiyar, Chathram and Chengannur.
- The shrine will operate from 3 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Mandala puja falls on December 27, the temple reopens on December 30 for Makaravilakku on January 14, and the season ends on January 20.
- Pilgrim facilities have been scaled up with safe drinking water and chukkuvellam kiosks, resting benches, bio-toilets, multilingual signboards and multiple emergency medical centres.
- Security has been tightened with a large police deployment reported at 18,741 personnel, festival-day traffic curbs, and a ban on mobile phones and photography in the Sannidhanam.