SABARIMALA: The Lord Ayyappa temple here will be opened on Monday for the five-day monthly poojas for the Malayalam month of Kumbham. Melsanthi Unnikrishnan Nampoothiri will open the sreekovil at 5 pm, marking the beginning of the five-day poojas, in the presence of thantri Mahesh Mohanaru.
Kalabhabhishekam will be offered to the Lord on the first day of the Kumbham poojas on Tuesday. As part of the ritual, the thantri will perform brahmakalasa pooja in the presence of the melsanthi at 10 am.
The ritual will conclude with kalabhabhishekam on the idol during uchcha pooja after the procession carrying the brahmakalasam led by the thantri and the melsanthi circumambulates the sreekovil.Udayasthamana pooja, padi pooja and pushpabhishekam will be the other rituals to be performed at the temple.
Sahasrakalasam and laksharchana will be performed.In connection with sahasrakalasam on Wednesday, the thantri will perform ‘kalasa pooja’ at the sopanam at 5 pm on Tuesday in the presence of the melsanthi.
As part of the laksharchana on Wednesday, the thantri will perform brahmakalasa pooja at the mandapam at 6 am, followed by chanting of Vedic mantras by a 12-member scholar team. The ritual will conclude with kalasabhishekam on the idol during uchcha pooja.Kalasabhishekam, marking the conclusion of the ritual, on the idol of the Lord will be performed during uchcha pooja in the presence of the melsanthi. The hill shrine will be closed on February 17 at 10 pm.