Saturday, December 3 2005 14:04 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Sabarimala (Kerala): Security has been stepped up at the Ayyappa temple here ahead of the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition.

All the pilgrims visiting the hill shrine for three days from December 5 will have to go through metal detectors installed at the entrance of the 'holy eighteen steps' leading to the sanctom sanctorum, police sources said.

Only those carrying 'irumudi', the cloth bundle containing pooja articles to be offered to the presiding deity, would be allowed to enter near the sanctum sanctorum through the eighteen steps.

If necessary, the 'irumudi' and bags being carried by the pilgrims would be checked by the security personnel at any point between the base camp Pampa and Sannidhanam atop the hill, they said.

Pilgrims have been told not to bring any weapon while coming to the shrine and carry only essential articles with them.

The rush to the shrine has increased as the current Mandala pooja season entered the third week. There was a lull in flow of pilgrims from the rain-battered Tamil Nadu but the arrival of devotees from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka had picked up.