Photos: Sabarimala temple opens for the Mandala Pooja festival

The Lord Ayyappa Temple opened to devotees at 5pm on Saturday amid heavy security

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Devotees arrive at the Lord Ayyappa temple for the two-month long Mandala-Makaravillakku pilgrimage season in Sabarimala
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A devotee wears the 'sacred chain' at a temple before their pilgrimage to Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala. At least ten young women from Andhra Pradesh, who arrived at Pamba on Saturday to offer prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple here, were sent back, police said
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Devotees arrive at the Lord Ayyappa temple for the two-month long Mandala-Makaravillakku pilgrimage season, in Sabarimala.
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Devotees wait to perform rituals at the Sabarimala Temple. The shrine opened its doors to devotees yesterday, but the question of whether women can enter is yet to be settled.
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Police personnel assist devotees to climb up the 18 sacred steps of the Lord Ayyappa temple.
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Devotees waiting to offer prayers at Sabarimala Temple during the Mandala Pooja festival in Sannidhanam.
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Devotees stand in a queue to offer prayers at Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala.
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Devotees arrive at the Lord Ayyappa temple the two-month long Mandala-Makaravillakku pilgrimage in Sabarimal. At least ten young women from Andhra Pradesh, who arrived at Pamba on Saturday to offer prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple here, were sent back, police said
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A devotee wears the 'sacred chain' at a temple before their pilgrimage to Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala.
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The Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala opened for the annual Mandala-Makaravilakku puja on Saturday

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