SABARIMALA: Mandala pooja, the ceremony marking the conclusion of the 41-day-long Phase-I of the annual pilgrimage season of Lord Ayyappa temple, was performed on Thursday. The hill shrine was closed at 10 pm. The ceremony, held after adorning the Thanka Anki on the idol of Lord Ayyappa, was performed under the leadership of thantri Kandararu Rajeevararu at 12.30 pm in the presence of melsanthi Vasudevan Nampoothiri.
Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran, Travancore Devaswom Board president A Padmakuimar, members K P Sankaradas and Vijayakumar, Devaswom Department secretary K R Jyothilal, Pampa police special officer Karthikeyan, Devaswom commissioner N Vasu, former TDB president Prayar Gopalakrishnan, Devaswom chief engineer V Sankaran Potti, Sabarimala Devaswom executive officer Sudheeshkumar and administrative officer Murari Babu were present. Thantri Rajeevararu performed the Brahmakalsa pooja at the mandapam of the temple at 10 am.
The ritual concluded with Kalabhabhishekam on the idol of Lord Ayyappa during ‘Uchcha pooja’ after the procession carrying the Brahmakalsam circumambulated the sreekovil of the temple. The sreekovil of the temple was closed at 10 pm after Athazha pooja and Harivarasanam at 10 pm. The hill shrine will be reopened on December 30 for the 21-day long Makaravilakku, the concluding phase of the annual pilgrimage season.