SABARIMALA: Onasadya was held at the Sabarimala temple on the first day of the four-day Onam festival on Wednesday. The ceremony as part of the feast was inaugurated by Thantri Kandararu Mahesh Mohanaru by lighting the traditional lamp at Annadanamandapam near Malikappuram temple at 11.30am.
After lighting the lamp, the thantri offered Onam dish on a plantain leaf, in the name of the deity. After the ceremony, the feast was offered to thousands of devotees who arrived at the temple. Braving heavy rain, thousands of devotees climbed the trekking path to reach the hill shrine for a glimpse of the deity since Tuesday evening.
Special rituals, including kalabhabhishekam, udayasthamana pooja, ashtabhi shekam, padi pooja and pushpabhishekam were performed at the temple as part of the Onam festival.