SABARIMALA: The four-day procession carrying the Thanka Anki, the attire in gold to be adorned on the idol of Lord Ayyappa on the Mandala Pooja day on Wednesday, reached Lord Ayyappa temple here on Tuesday.
The anki, donated by Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma of Travancore royal family, was received in front of the sreekovil by thantri Kandararu Rajeevaru at 6.20 pm in the presence of melsanthi Vasudevan Nampoothiri.
Deeparadhana was performed by the thantri after adorning the Thanka Anki on the idol at 6.40 pm.
Travancore Devaswom Board president A Padmakumar, member K P Sanakaradas and Vijayakumar, devaswom ombudsman P R Raman, high-powered observation committee of the Kerala High Court Sirijagan and DGP Hemachandran, devaswom secretary K R Jyothilal, special commissioner Manoj, devaswom commissioner N Vasu, devaswom chief engineer V Sankaran Potti, Sabarimala devaswom executive officer Sudheeshkumar and administrative officer Murari Babu were present at the ceremony.
Earlier at Saramkuthi, the Thanka Anki procession was accorded a traditional reception by a devaswom team headed by Sabarimala devaswom executive officer Sudheeshkumar and administrative officer Murari Babu at 6 pm. The anki procession, headed by devaswom special officer Ajith Kumar, were led in procession by hundreds of volunteers of Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sangham and by a group of artists playing temple percussion instruments, including panchavadyam, nadaswaram and chendamelam.
Mandala pooja, marking the concluding ceremony of the first phase of the annual pilgrimage season, will be held at 12.30 pm on December 27. As part of the Mandala pooja, Kalabhabhishekam, will be performed during uchcha pooja on Thursday.
Temple to be closed at 10 pm
The temple will be closed at 10 pm on December 27 after athazha pooja and harivarasanam.