SABARIMALA: The hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa here will be opened on October 17 evening for the five-day monthly poojas for the Malayalam month of Thulam. The melsanthi will open the sreekovil of the temple at 5.30 pm in the presence of the thantri.
As an ongoing practice, no ritual will be held at the sreekovil in the evening.
Special Rituals
Sahasrakalasam, kalabhabhishekam and laksharchana will be the special rituals to be conducted during the monthly pooja days.
As part of the sahasrakalasam to be held on October 18, sahasrakalasa pooja will be performed under the leadership of the thantri at the Sopanam at 7 pm on October 17.
The ritual will be concluded with kalasabhishekam on the idol of Lord Ayyappa during uchcha pooja. In connection with kalabhabhishekam to be held on the first day of the Malayalam month of Thulam, the thantri will conduct kalabhakalasa pooja at the mandapam at 10.30 am. Kalabhabhishekam on the idol, marking the conclusion of the ritual will be held after the procession carrying the kalabhakalasam by circumambulating the sreekovil of the temple.
Laksharchana will be the other ritual to be held on the first day of the Malayalam month. Udayasthamana pooja, pushpabhishekam and padi pooja will be the other rituals that will be held on all the days of the five-day monthly poojas. The temple will be closed on October 22 evening, after athazha pooja and Harivarasanam.