The puja at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala will start on Monday morning after the shrine reopened on Sunday for five-day monthly prayers in the Malayalam month Chingam. According to the COVID-19 protocol, the bar on the entry of devotees will continue.

The temple will close on August 21 evening after monthly puja. Earlier, Travancore Devaswam president N Vasu said the annual festival pilgrimage season for Sabarimala starts from November 16.

"This is an event which has been going on for decades. The government, as well as the Travancore Devaswam board, is eager to see that the event takes place this year also but with limitations and restrictions," he said.