COVID-19 protocol, hundreds of devotees on Thursday offered prayers at the famous Lord Ayyappa temple here on the auspicious occasion of 'Makaravilakku', marking the culmination of the over two-month-long pilgrimage.The hill temple, which used to witness a heavy rush on the occasion every year, was thronged by only a few pilgrims due to the strict safety guidelines in place in the wake of the virus outbreak.As per the government directive, only 5,000 pilgrims were permitted to climb the holy hills to offer prayers on the day, Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials here said.Wearing face masks and carrying the customary 'irumudikettu' (the traditional bundle a devotee brings to the shrine) over their heads, devotees gathered at the temple.