SABARIMALA: Marking the conclusion of the 2019-2020 Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season, the Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala will be closed at 7am on Tuesday, after facilitating the customary darshan for the Pandalam Palace representative at 6am.
The return procession of the Thiruvabharanam, which was adorned on the idol of Ayyappa during the Makaravilakku ceremony, will leave the Sannidhanam following the royal representative’s darshan. The devotees will be allowed to offer prayers at the temple till the closure of the sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) at 10pm on Monday.
The five-day procession carrying the ‘thidambu’ of Malikappuram Devi also came to an end on Sunday. The customary yathra to Saramkuthi was also held. The ‘Guruthi’, the annual offering held for the blessings of the hill gods of Lord Ayyappa, will be held after the athazha pooja on Monday.