Sabarimala pilgrimage: TDB urges devotees to defer visit amid Kerala floods
Synopsis
The Travancore Devaswom Board has asked devotees to stay away from Sabarimala for the Niraputhari opening on 2-3 August after the Pamba river flooded Ranni — the key pilgrim transit town — and landslide risk spiked on the forested approach roads. It is a rare safety-first call from the temple authority during one of Kerala's worst monsoon spells this season.
Key Takeaways
The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) issued a safety advisory on 1 August urging devotees to postpone the Sabarimala pilgrimage.
The temple was scheduled to open on 2 and 3 August for the annual Niraputhari rituals.
Ranni , the principal pilgrim transit town, is submerged after the Pamba river overflowed its banks.
Flooding in the Pamba basin and landslide risk on forested approach roads prompted the advisory.
The temple will reopen for Chingam poojas (16–21 August) and Onam special poojas (24–28 August) , giving devotees alternative windows.
Kerala is experiencing one of its worst monsoon spells of the season, with rescue teams deployed across multiple districts.
The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) on Saturday, 1 August issued an urgent appeal to devotees to postpone their Sabarimala pilgrimage, citing severe flooding in the Pamba basin and a heightened risk of landslides along the forested approach roads to the hill shrine. The advisory targets the temple's scheduled opening on 2 and 3 August for the annual Niraputhari rituals — the traditional ceremony in which the season's first harvest is offered to Lord Ayyappa.
Situation on the Ground
Pathanamthitta district, which is home to the Sabarimala shrine, is among the worst-hit areas in Kerala's ongoing monsoon crisis. Ranni, the principal foothills town and a key transit point for pilgrims, has been inundated after the Pamba river breached its banks, submerging shops, petrol stations, and commercial establishments that pilgrims depend on. Large stretches of the town remain under water, effectively severing a critical leg of the pilgrimage route.
With the Pamba in full spate and rainfall continuing across the hill districts, authorities warn that fresh flooding and landslides could strike without warning along the densely forested paths leading to the temple.
What the Devaswom Board Said
The TDB stated that the appeal had become unavoidable given the continuing heavy rainfall, the flooding in the Pamba basin, and the landslide threat on the approach roads. The Board assured devotees that they would have multiple opportunities to visit the shrine later in the month, noting that the temple will reopen for the Chingam monthly poojas from 16 to 21 August and again for the Onam special poojas from 24 to 28 August.
Broader Monsoon Crisis in Kerala
The advisory comes as Kerala battles one of its most severe monsoon spells of the season. Rescue teams have been deployed across several districts, and authorities are maintaining a round-the-clock vigil amid forecasts of continued heavy rainfall over the central high ranges. This is not the first time extreme weather has disrupted access to Sabarimala — the 2018 Kerala floods caused catastrophic damage to the pilgrimage infrastructure, a precedent that makes the TDB's caution this year particularly significant.
What Devotees Should Know
Pilgrims planning to attend the Niraputhari opening are advised to defer travel until conditions improve. The TDB has confirmed that the Niraputhari ceremony itself will proceed, but the Board's priority is preventing devotee casualties on flooded and landslide-prone routes. Authorities are maintaining vigil and will update advisories as weather conditions evolve.
Point of View
But it also exposes a structural vulnerability: the Sabarimala pilgrimage route has no resilient alternative access, leaving the entire system hostage to a single river basin. The 2018 floods demonstrated what unchecked pilgrim movement during extreme weather can cost in lives and infrastructure — and the lessons appear to have been absorbed this time. What remains missing is a real-time, publicly accessible flood and landslide alert system tied directly to TDB communications, so devotees are not dependent on advisories issued after conditions have already deteriorated.
NationPress
1 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the TDB asked devotees to defer the Sabarimala pilgrimage?
The Travancore Devaswom Board issued the advisory on 1 August because severe flooding in the Pamba basin has inundated Ranni — the main pilgrim transit town — and landslide risk on the forested approach roads to Sabarimala has risen sharply. The Board cited devotee safety as the overriding concern.
Will the Niraputhari ceremony at Sabarimala still take place on 2-3 August?
The Niraputhari ceremony is scheduled to proceed on 2 and 3 August, but the TDB has urged devotees not to travel to the shrine during this opening given the dangerous weather conditions. The ritual itself has not been cancelled.
When can devotees visit Sabarimala next after the Niraputhari opening?
The temple will reopen for the Chingam monthly poojas from 16 to 21 August and again for the Onam special poojas from 24 to 28 August, giving pilgrims two additional windows later in the month.
Which areas in Kerala are worst affected by the current monsoon rains?
Pathanamthitta district, home to the Sabarimala shrine, is among the worst-hit areas. Ranni town has been submerged after the Pamba river overflowed, and authorities across several hill districts are maintaining a round-the-clock vigil amid forecasts of continued heavy rainfall.
Has Sabarimala access been disrupted by floods before?
Yes. The catastrophic 2018 Kerala floods severely damaged pilgrimage infrastructure and disrupted access to Sabarimala, making it a significant precedent for how extreme monsoon conditions can affect the hill shrine and its approach routes.
