SABARIMALA: In an atmosphere of religious fervour and gaiety, the new golden flag mast of Lord Ayyappa temple here was installed at a ceremony on Sunday. The installation ceremony was performed by Thantri Kandararu Rajivaru with ‘kalasabhishekam’ on ‘vaji vahanam’ of Lord Ayyappa atop of flag mast at 12.40 pm.
The special rituals, as part of installation ceremony, began with ‘mahaganapathi homam’ at 5 am, followed by ‘jalodyanam’, ‘tatwahomam’, ‘tatwakalsam’, ‘jaladronipooja’, ‘jeevakalsapooja’, ‘brahmakalsa pooja’, ‘adivasahomam’, ‘adivasapooja’ and ‘dwojaparigrahomam’.
Before the kalasabhishekam on the flag mast, playing of ‘marappani’ and the procession carrying idol of ‘vaji vahanam’ led by the thantri was taken out by circumambulating the Sreekovil of the temple.Devaswom Minister Kadakamappally Surendran, Travavancore Devaswom Board president Prayar Gopalakrishnan, members Ajay Tharayil and K Raghavan, BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan, Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sangham president Thennala Balakrishna Pillai, general secretary Velayudhan Nair, vice-president D Vijaykumar and devaswom commissioner C P Ramaraja Prema were among those who were present at the installation ceremony.
Damage on flag mast rectified
Sabarimala: The damaged portion of the new golden flag mast of Lord Ayyappa temple was rectified and was opened to the devotees on Monday. The damage to the new flag mast was rectified by a four-member team of architects from Vijayawada, by pouring mercury on the ‘panchavarghathara’ after the installation ceremony.
On conclusion of the restoration work,Thantri Rajivaru performed a ‘panchapunyaham’ on the flag mast as part of the atonement rites on the rectified flag mast immediately after the shrine was opened. The rectification work was began immediately after the forensic team of Kerala Police conducted an inspection after an on-the spot visit of the damaged portion of the flag mast on the order of DGP Senkumar on Sunday.
Felicitated
The felicitation function to honour those connected with the new flag mast installation was held at the Sopanam at 1.30 pm. Travancore Devaswom Board president Prayar Gopalakrishnan, in the presence of members Ajay Tharayil and K Raghavan, presented momentos to Thantri Rajivaru, Melsanthi Unnikrishnan Namboothiri, advocate commission appointed by High Court A S P Kurup, thiruvabharanam commissioner S Paravathi, devaswom special officer Ajithkumar and architects Anandan Achari and Palani Achari.