| Season | Opens | Darshan | Closes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mandala Pooja season (mid-Nov to late Dec) | 3:00 AM | 3:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM | 11:00 PM (after Harivarasanam) | Open |
| Makaravilakku season (late Dec to mid-Jan) | 3:00 AM | Extended hours; darshan runs late into the night on peak days | Varies with crowd control | Open |
| Monthly pooja (first 5 days of each Malayalam month) and Vishu (April) | 3:00 AM | Similar morning and evening windows for a few days only | 11:00 PM | Open |
| Rest of the year | Closed | Sanctum shut, no daily darshan | Closed | Closed |
Sabarimala runs on the Malayalam calendar, not the Gregorian one, so its opening dates slide a little every year. The dominant window is the Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage, opening around mid-November and closing in the third week of January after Makaravilakku. Within that stretch the sanctum keeps two daily windows, roughly 3:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM, bookended by Nirmalya darshanam at dawn and Harivarasanam near midnight.
Between the big seasons the temple opens only for the first five days of each Malayalam month and for Vishu, brief windows that reward pilgrims who want darshan without the winter crush. On the very heaviest days, above all Makaravilakku itself, timings bend to crowd control and the queue can consume many hours regardless of the posted schedule.
Because the exact Gregorian dates change annually and virtual-Q slot booking governs entry in season, treat every time here as approx and confirm on the official portal before you lock in travel. Turning up off-season means a closed sanctum and a wasted journey into the hills.
← Back to the full Sabarimala Sree Dharmasastha darshan guideCompiled from public sources including Kerala Tourism, Sabarimala rituals and how to reach · Sabarimala Devaswom (Kerala Govt) rituals · The South First, Sabarimala season opening report · TempleDarshanTime, Sabarimala timings and poojas 2026-27. Timings and seasonal closures change; confirm with the temple trust before travelling.