SABARIMALA: The 10-day annual festival at Sabarimala temple began on Wednesday with kodiyettu. The ceremony was performed under the leadership of thantri Kandararu Rajivaru in the presence of thantri Kandararu Brahmadathan and the melsanthi at 9.56 am.The ceremony began with the thantri performing pooja on the temple flag at the mandapam and later at the sreekovil.
The thantri hoisted the flag at golden flag mast after the procession carrying the flag circumambulated the sreekovil. Ashtabhishekam and pushpabhishekam were the important rituals conducted on the first day of the festival.
Utsavabali, one of the important rituals as part of the annual festival, will be held for eight days from the second day of the festival on Thursday to the ninth day of the festival on April 10.
The four-day “vilakkinezhunnellippu” beginning on the fifth day of the festival till the ninth day and “pallivetta” on the ninth day of the festival on April 10 will be the other important events of the festival. The annual festival will conclude with “aarattu” ceremony to be held at the arattu kadavu on the side of the Pampa at 11.30 am on April 11 under the leadership of the thantri.