PATHANAMTHITTA : Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple which was opened on December 30 for the Makaravilakku festival will be closed at 6 am on January 21 (Sunday).
Devotees’ entry will be permitted till Saturday and darshan will be allowed only till 10 pm. ‘Neyyabhishekam’ ritual was held at 9 am on Friday.
‘Guruthi’ ritual, the annual offering held to seek the blessings of the Hill Gods of Lord Ayyappa, will be conducted near Malikappuram temple on Saturday. It will be held after the closure of the Sreekovil of Lord Ayyappa temple at 10 pm.
Though the temple will be opened on Sunday at 5 am, ‘darshan’ will be allowed only for the representative of Pandalam Palace, who will offer customary worship at the temple. The Sreekovil will be closed immediately after darshan at 6 am. Consequently, the current Mandalam Makaravilakku pilgrimage season will conclude on Sunday.
The Thiruvabharanam procession’s return journey from Sabarimala to Pandalam will begin at 5.30 am on Sunday. The hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa will be reopened for the five-day monthly poojas for Kumbhom on February 13 evening.