Makaravilakku pageant at Sabarimala on Thursday

By Express News Service
SABARIMALA: The hill abode of Lord Ayyappa right here is all set for the Makaravilakku ceremony, probably the most auspicious ritual of the annual pilgrimage season, to be held after adorning the idol with the Thiruvabharanam — the sacred gold ornaments introduced from the Pandalam Valiyakoickal Sree Dharma Sas tha temple on Thursday.

Thantri Kandararu Rajivaru will carry out the deeparadhana within the presence of melsanthi Jayaraj Potti at 6.40pm. After the deeparadhana, a star shall be seen to the east of the temple, marking the auspicious time of the solar shifting from ‘dakshinayanam’ to ‘utharanayanam’.

Before that, the Thiruvabharanam procession shall be given a conventional reception at Saramkuthi at 5.30pm by a devaswom staff led by Sabarimala devaswom administrative officer Rajendran Nair. The staff carrying the Thiruvabharanam shall be led in a procession to the Sannidhanam accompanied by artists enjoying temple percussion devices. The Travancore Devaswom Board president and members will obtain the procession in entrance of golden flag mast of the temple.

Malikappuram procession

The annual five-day customary procession carrying the ‘Thidambu’, the Sreebali idol, of Malikappuram Devi shall be taken out from the Malikappuram temple to Lower Thirumuttom close to Holy Steps after the deeparadhana on the Lord Ayyappa and Malikappuram Devi temples at 7.30pm.

Sudhikriyas conclude

The two-day sudhikriyas (purification rites) concluded on Wednesday on the Lord Ayyappa temple forward of the Makaravilakku ceremony. The two-day purification ceremony, together with idol purification rites, was carried out by thantri Rajivaru within the presence of melsanthi Jayaraj Potti.

Padi pooja from Jan 16 to 18 The Padi pooja ritual shall be carried out on the Ayyappa temple for 3 days from January 16. The hour-long ritual shall be carried out  by thantri Rajivaru within the presence of melsanthi Jayaraj Potti at 7pm