Quick answer (as of 9 October 2026): The Sabarimala Mandalam-Makaravilakku season is scheduled to begin on 17 November 2026, according to Kerala's high-level security review. Kerala has decided on stronger CCTV at Sannidhanam, Pampa and Nilakkal, police verification of shop workers and a push for virtual-queue use. On the Devaswom Board side, prasadam contracts were still pending in late September, while the Board plans to raise daily aravana production to 3.6 lakh tins and set up an AI-enabled crowd-control room at Nilakkal.

For lakhs of Ayyappa devotees, the countdown to the Mandala season begins long before the temple opens: mala dharana, the 41-day vratham, travel plans and virtual-queue bookings. The questions we hear most are practical. Will the crowds be managed? Will there be enough aravana? Are things on schedule? This page collects what has been officially decided or reported so far, with the source and date for each item, so you can plan with facts instead of forwards.

Kerala reviews security for the season

Official. Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala chaired a high-level meeting at the Secretariat to review preparations for the Mandalam-Makaravilakku season, scheduled to begin on 17 November (Source: Telangana Today (PTI), 25 September 2026). The decisions included:

  • Awareness campaigns encouraging pilgrims to use the virtual queue system.
  • Strengthened CCTV coverage at Sannidhanam, Pampa and Nilakkal, linked to the police control room.
  • Mandatory police verification of workers at commercial establishments in Sannidhanam and Pampa.
  • Coordination by the State Police Chief with counterparts in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka.

What it means for you: the emphasis on the virtual queue suggests that pilgrims who arrive with a booking will find the system easier to navigate. The inter-state coordination matters because a large share of pilgrims travel from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. Book your darshan slot only through the Travancore Devaswom Board's official channels.

Prasadam contracts: running late in September

Reported. Onmanorama reported that contracts for prasadam materials, including those for Aravana and Appam, had not been finalised 53 days before the Mandala season. Tenders for jaggery, rice, dry ginger powder and cumin began on 6 August instead of the usual May. Contracts for Aravana containers and imported flip lids were also pending; the Board holds a reserve of 40 lakh containers and one crore flip lids (Source: Onmanorama, 23 September 2026).

Advertisement

We have not found a later report confirming that these contracts have been finalised. We will update this section when the Devaswom Board announces it.

More aravana daily and AI crowd control at Nilakkal

Reported. A day later, Onmanorama reported plans announced by TDB president K Jayakumar (Source: Onmanorama, 24 September 2026):

  • Aravana: daily production at Sannidhanam will rise from 2.6 lakh to 3.6 lakh tins, one lakh more each day, with a target stock of 75 lakh tins when the temple opens for the season.
  • AI-enabled control room: overseen by police and estimated at Rs 5 crore, it will regulate pilgrim movement at Nilakkal.
  • Pilgrim pandal: a pandal seating 6,000 pilgrims is planned at Nilakkal.
  • Civil works: tenders for 48 civil works at Sabarimala have been completed.

Nilakkal is the base camp where most pilgrims' vehicles stop before the onward journey to Pampa, so crowd regulation there shapes the whole experience. Aravana payasam and appam are the prasadam most devotees take home for family, which is why the stock and container contracts get so much attention every year.

Season opening and key dates

The only 2026 season date in the official and news items we checked is the start of the Mandalam-Makaravilakku season, scheduled for 17 November 2026 (Source: Telangana Today (PTI), 25 September 2026). We have not found a confirmed date in these sources for the Mandala Pooja, Makaravilakku or the opening of virtual-queue booking. For the traditional sequence of the season, the vratham and irumudi, see our Sabarimala Mandalam-Makaravilakku 2026-27 season guide.

Preparations at a glance

AreaStatus (as of 9 Oct 2026)Source (date)
Season startScheduled for 17 November (official)Telangana Today/PTI (25 Sep)
Security and CCTVDecided at high-level review (official)Telangana Today/PTI (25 Sep)
Worker police verificationMandatory at Sannidhanam and Pampa shops (official)Telangana Today/PTI (25 Sep)
Prasadam contractsNot finalised as of 23 Sep (reported)Onmanorama (23 Sep)
Aravana productionTo rise to 3.6 lakh tins a day (reported)Onmanorama (24 Sep)
AI crowd control, NilakkalPlanned (reported)Onmanorama (24 Sep)
Civil worksTenders for 48 works completed (reported)Onmanorama (24 Sep)

How to prepare now

Frequently asked questions

When does the Sabarimala Mandalam-Makaravilakku season 2026 begin?

According to the Kerala government's security review reported by Telangana Today (PTI) on 25 September 2026, the season is scheduled to begin on 17 November 2026. Confirm on the Travancore Devaswom Board's official portal before you travel.

Advertisement

Will there be enough aravana prasadam this season?

The TDB president said daily aravana production at Sannidhanam will rise from 2.6 lakh to 3.6 lakh tins, with a target stock of 75 lakh tins at the season's opening (Onmanorama, 24 September 2026). On 23 September, Onmanorama reported that some prasadam contracts had not yet been finalised.

What is the AI crowd control plan at Nilakkal?

Onmanorama reported on 24 September 2026 that an AI-enabled control room overseen by police, estimated at Rs 5 crore, will regulate pilgrim movement at Nilakkal, where a pandal seating 6,000 pilgrims is also planned.

Do I need to book the virtual queue for Sabarimala?

Kerala's security review decided on awareness campaigns encouraging pilgrims to use the virtual queue system. Book only through the Travancore Devaswom Board's official channels.

Will this page be updated?

Yes. News was checked on 9 October 2026, and we will update the page as the Devaswom Board and the Kerala government make further announcements.

Editor's note (9 October 2026)

News checked on 9 October 2026; we will update as announcements change. Each item above comes from the cited source and is labelled official or reported. We have not added any dates, figures or prices beyond those sources, and we have not given Mandala Pooja or Makaravilakku dates because none were confirmed in the items we checked. Always confirm on the Travancore Devaswom Board's official portal before travelling.