The hilltop shrine re-opened on Friday for the 'Makaravilakku' festival which marks the beginning of the second leg of the 2-month long annual pilgrimage season.
Sri Lankan Member of Parliament (MP) Jeevan Thondaman offered prayers at the famed Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala in Kerala on Sunday. The Sri Lankan MP, son of Arumugam Thondaman a former minister of the neighbouring island nation, arrived at the shrine as a 'kanni swami' -- a first time pilgrim.
He also distributed 38,000 packets of biscuits to pilgrims at the temple. The hilltop shrine re-opened on Friday for the 'Makaravilakku' festival which marks the beginning of the second leg of the 2-month long annual pilgrimage season.The first leg began on November 17 and ended on December 27 with the 'Mandala puja.'