Kerala Temples Tour

Customs, rules and beliefs

Order: Pilgrims on the traditional route go to Erumeli first, join the Petta Thullal, visit the Vavar mosque, and then walk to Pamba and climb to the shrine. By custom the Ambalappuzha group enters the Vavar mosque while the Alangad group does not.

Season (February-March (festival peak); temples open year-round): Attukal Pongala runs for ten days in Makaram-Kumbham, with the Pongala offering on the Pooram star at full moon. Chottanikkara's Makam Thozhal also falls in February to March, so that window brings the biggest crowds at two of the four temples.

• DressAt Guruvayur men may wear only a plain white or cream dhoti; shirts, vests, trousers, jeans, lungis and printed dhotis are not allowed. Women may wear a sari, a skirt and blouse, or a churidar.
• DressAt Padmanabhaswamy men wear a heel-length mundu or dhoti and no shirt of any kind. Women wear a sari, set-mundu, skirt and blouse, or half-sari; dhotis are rented at the entrance and may be worn over trousers or a churidar.
• DressThe churidar question at Padmanabhaswamy has been disputed: a 2016 relaxation by the executive officer was opposed by the tantri and the administrative committee, and women in churidar were turned away. Carry a mundu to wrap over a churidar.
• RitualsAttukal Pongala is offered only by women, who cook sweet rice in earthen pots on hearths lit at the signal of the chief priest. The area around the temple, about 7 km, becomes the ritual ground on that day.
• RitualsChottanikkara holds Guruthi Nivedyam at the lower Keezhkavu shrine at 7:30 am and 7 pm, and the Valiya Guruthi after 8:30 pm. The main shrine opens at 4 am (3:30 am in the Mandalam season and on Fridays).
• Good to knowGuruvayur's Chembai Sangeetholsavam runs 12 to 15 days in November to December and ends on Guruvayur Ekadasi, so the town is busy then.
• VrathamThe vratham lasts 41 days and starts with Malayidal, when a priest or a Guruswami puts the bead mala on the devotee. During it devotees keep celibacy, eat vegetarian food, wear black, and do not cut hair, shave or trim nails; the mala comes off only after the pilgrimage.
• RitualsThe Irumudi is a two-part bundle: the front holds the offerings, including a coconut filled with ghee at the Kettunirakkal ceremony, and the back holds the pilgrim's own things. Only a pilgrim carrying an Irumudi may climb the 18 holy steps.
• RitualsErumeli Petta Thullal is held through Dhanu, with the Ambalappuzha and Alangad groups on 27 Dhanu. Dancers smear sandal paste and ash and carry arrows; the dance recalls Ayyappa's victory over Mahishi and his friendship with Vavar.
• Queues and darshanThe Travancore Devaswom Board states that Virtual-Q online booking is mandatory for every pilgrim visiting Sabarimala.
• Queues and darshanFor 2026-27 the Kerala High Court upheld the board's cap of 75,000 pilgrims a day, asked for an upgraded Virtual-Q with cancellation, and allowed a small refundable deposit per slot that may be forfeited if the pilgrim misses the time window.
• Queues and darshanIn the 2025-26 season about 20,000 pilgrims a day could also enter through spot booking, on top of the Virtual-Q quota. Whether spot booking continues in 2026-27 was not confirmed.
• Age customsBy long custom, women aged 10 to 50 do not make the pilgrimage. In 2018 the Supreme Court held that bar unconstitutional; a nine-judge bench heard the linked reference and reserved its verdict on 14 May 2026, and no ruling had been reported by the check date.
• Age customsOn 2 March 2026 the Travancore Devaswom Board passed a resolution opposing entry of women aged 10 to 50, citing Travancore-era customs, and planned to say so in the Supreme Court.
• Good to knowIn 2025-26 the shrine opened on the evening of 16 November 2025, the day before 1 Vrischikam. In the season it is open from 3 am to 11 pm and closes with the Harivarasanam recital.
• DressAt Sree Padmanabhaswamy, men wear a white dhoti with an upper cloth and women a sari; only those of the Hindu faith may enter.

What devotees believe

• Devotees regard the Makam Thozhal darshan, when the sanctum reopens at 2 pm on Makam day, as especially favourable for a long married life and for a good match for girls. This is a custom described by the festival sheet, not a promise.
• Makaravilakku is held on 1 Makaram, the Makara Sankranti transit, when the Thiruvabharanam ornaments are placed on the idol before the evening deeparadhana.

These are traditions and beliefs, described as devotees hold them. The temples set their own rituals and fees.

Sources: keralatourism.org, keralatourism.org, keralatourism.org, keralatourism.org, onmanorama.com, chottanikkarabhagavathy.org, keralatourism.org, travancoredevaswomboard.org, verdictum.in, onmanorama.com, livelaw.in, onmanorama.com, en.wikipedia.org, keralatourism.org · checked 23 Oct 2026