SABARIMALA: The hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa here will be opened on September 16 for the five-day monthly poojas for the Malayalam month of Kanni. Melsanthi Unnikrishnan Nampoothiri will open the ‘sreekovil’ of the temple at 5 pm in the presence of thantri Mahesh Mohanaru. No rituals will be performed at the sreekovil in the evening. ‘Kalabhabhishekam’, ‘Sahasrakalasam’ and ‘Laksharchana’ will be the special rituals during the monthly poojas. Thantri Mahesh will perform ‘Brahmakalasa’ pooja in the presence of the melsanthi at the temple ‘mandapam’ at 10.30 am on the first day.
The ritual will conclude with ‘Kalabhabhishekam’ on the idol of Lord Ayyappa during ‘Uchcha pooja’ after the procession carrying the ‘Brahmakalsam’ circumambulates the sreekovil . As part of ‘Sahasrakalasam’ on the second day-September 18, the thantri will perform ‘kalasa pooja’ at ‘sopanam’ in the presence of the melsanthi on September 17 afternoon. The ritual will conclude with ‘kalasabhishekam’ on the idol of Lord Ayyappa during ‘Uchcha pooja’.‘Udayasthamana pooja’, ‘Padi pooja’ and ‘Pushpabhishekam’ will be the other rituals. The hill shrine will be closed on September 21.