The Sabarimala temple opens for the Mandala season on the evening of Sunday, 16 November 2026 (Vrischikam 1), so pilgrims begin climbing from Monday 17 November. Mandala Pooja is on Sunday, 27 December 2026, the temple reopens on 30 December for the Makaravilakku season, and Makaravilakku is on Thursday, 14 January 2027. Most devotees in Tamil Nadu start their 41-day vratham on or just after Karthigai 1 (17 November), so that the vratham ends in time for the Mandala Pooja darshan.
This guide covers how the vratham is kept at home and the pooja items a devotee uses daily. The irumudi kettu itself is covered in our Irumudi items list.
1. Season dates at a glance
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Temple opens for Mandalam | Evening of Sun 16 Nov 2026 |
| Karthigai 1 (vratham usually begins) | Tue 17 Nov 2026 |
| Mandala Pooja | Sun 27 Dec 2026 (temple closes that evening) |
| Temple reopens for Makaravilakku | Wed 30 Dec 2026 |
| Makaravilakku / Makara Sankranti | Thu 14 Jan 2027 |
| Temple closes | Wed 20 Jan 2027 |
Dates are as published by the Travancore Devaswom Board and panchangam sources; check your guruswami's instructions for your group's travel date.
2. Maala dharanam: starting the vratham
The vratham begins when the devotee receives the tulasi or rudraksha maala from a guruswami or at a temple, on an auspicious day, usually a Saturday or the first day of Karthigai. Families keep these ready for the maala pooja:
- A lamp with sesame oil or cow ghee and cotton wicks
- Vibhuti, sandalwood powder and kumkum for the Ayyappa picture
- Camphor for the aarti
- Flowers, a coconut and fruits for the naivedyam
- A black or blue dhoti, which the devotee wears from this day
3. The 41 days: what changes at home
The rules are kept strictly, and the whole household usually adjusts around them:
- Two poojas a day. Morning and evening, the devotee lights the lamp before Ayyappa, applies vibhuti and sandal, and chants the Saranam or the 108 names. The lamp is never left unlit.
- Vegetarian, sattvic food. No onion or garlic in many homes, no alcohol, no smoking, food cooked at home.
- Simple living. Sleeping on a mat on the floor, bathing twice a day in cold water, walking barefoot, no shaving or haircuts.
- Addressing everyone as Swami. Every man is Swami, every woman Malikapuram.
- Temple visits and bhajans. Many devotees visit an Ayyappa temple on Saturdays and join bhajan groups in the evenings.
4. Daily pooja items for the 41 days
These get used every day for six weeks, so buy in larger packs:
| Item | Used for | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Vibhuti | Applied morning and evening | Special vibhuti, regular vibhuti |
| Sandalwood powder | Sandal paste for the forehead and the picture | Sandalwood powder |
| Kumkum | For the picture and for the Malikapuram | Kumkum |
| Lamp oil and wicks | Twice a day for 41 days | Sesame oil, lamp wicks |
| Camphor | Aarti at both poojas | Villai soodam |
| Incense and sambrani | Evening pooja and bhajans | Pathi, cup sambrani |
| Rose water and panneer | Sprinkled at the pooja | Rose water |
| Holy thread | For the maala and the irumudi | Pooja thread items |
5. Weekly bhajan and Ayyappa pooja at home
Many families host a Saturday evening bhajan during the season. Beyond the daily items you will want sambrani oil or attar for the guests, extra camphor, and prasadam such as jaggery, aval and dates. A kalasam cloth and darbhai grass are used when a priest leads a padi pooja.
6. Before the trip: the irumudi
The irumudi is packed the night before departure, at a kettunira ceremony led by the guruswami. The full list of what goes in each half, with ghee coconut, rice, jaggery and the pooja items for Sannidhanam, is in our Irumudi items list and in Tamil at இருமுடி பொருட்கள் பட்டியல்.
7. Mandala Kalam checklist
- Tulasi or rudraksha maala, black or blue dhoti
- Ayyappa picture, lamp, oil and wicks for 41 days
- Vibhuti, sandal powder, kumkum (large packs)
- Camphor, incense, sambrani
- Rose water
- Prasadam items for bhajans
- Irumudi items, bought the week before travel
Getting ready for Sabarimala?
Siva Pooja Store, Big Bazaar Street, Dindigul, stocks everything on this list, including ghee for the irumudi coconut. Visit the store, order on sivapoojastore.com, or WhatsApp 91507 87862 with your list. Bhajan groups and temple committees can ask for wholesale rates.
Common questions
When does the Sabarimala vratham start in 2026? Most devotees start on Karthigai 1, Tuesday 17 November 2026, so that 41 days end before Mandala Pooja on 27 December.
Can the vratham be shorter than 41 days? Devotees who cannot keep 41 days often keep a minimum of 21 days, with their guruswami's guidance. First-time pilgrims (kanni swamis) traditionally keep the full 41.
Is Makaravilakku the same as Makara Sankranti? Makaravilakku is the evening of Makara Sankranti, Thursday 14 January 2027, when the Makara Jyothi is seen at Ponnambalamedu.
What should women keep at home during the season? Women in the household, as Malikapuram, often keep the same vegetarian diet and join the daily pooja. Girls under 10 and women over 50 may undertake the pilgrimage.