An uneasy calm prevails at the holy hillock of Sabarimala and in the foothills of Pampa on the last day of the monthly rituals at the Ayyappa Temple here on Monday.
Almost all television crew, except the Janam, Amrita, and a few others, have packed off from Sabarimala and Pampa in the wee hours of Monday, fearing attack from the belligerent Sangh Parivaar protesters who have threatened them alleging partisan reporting.
The IG of Police S. Sreejith is camping at Sabarimala Sannidhanam. Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, K. Surendran and V. V. Rajesh, are also camping at the holy hillock.
The Pandalam Palace managing Committee leaders Sasikumar Varma and Narayana Varma have reached Pampa to attend the atonement rituals, prescribed during the astrological consultation, earlier, to be performed at Sabarimala on Monday.
The police is trying to clear the protesters, without using force, camping at the holy hillock before noon. Neither the TDB president nor members are present at Sabarimala.
Being the last day of the monthly rituals (Pooja), the pilgrim inflow too is lean.The temple will be closed after the Atazhapuja at 10 p.m.