SABARIMALA: The hill abode of Lord Ayyappa here will open on Monday for nine days for the four-day Onam festival celebrations and five-day monthly poojas for the Malayalam month of Kanni. Melsanthi Sankaran Nampoothiri will open the Sreekovil of the temple at 5 pm in the presence of Thantri Kandararu Rajivaru.
No rituals will be performed at the Sreekovil in the evening as per the ongoing practice of the temple. Four-day Onasadya from Sept 13: The four-day Onasadya will begin at Sannidhanam on the first Onam day of Uthradam on September 13. The feast will begin with the lighting of a traditional lamp by Thantri Rajivaru at 11.30 am in the presence of the Melsanthi, followed by distribution of feast dishes on a plantain leaf in the name of Lord Ayyapppa.
Kalabhabhishekam: Kalabhabhishekam will be the special ritual to be held on the first day of Onam. In connection with the ritual, Thantri Rajivaru will conduct Brahmakalasa pooja at the Mandapam of the temple at 10 am. The ritual will conclude with a Kalasabhabhishekam on the idol of Lord Ayyappa after the procession carrying the Brahmakalsam led by the thantri and the melsanthi circumambulates the sreekovil. Five-day monthly poojas: The temple will celebrate the five-day monthly poojas for the Malayalam month of Kanni from September 17. Sahasrakalasam, Laksharchana and Kalabhabhishekam will be the special rituals to be conducted at the temple during the monthly poojas. Udayasthamana pooja, Padipooja and Pushpabhishekam are the other rituals to be conducted during the five-day monthly poojas. The hill shrine will be closed on September 21, marking the conclusion of the monthly poojas, after Athazha pooja and Harivarasanam at 10 pm.